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Geology  and  Technology  of  the 
California   Oil   Fields 


BY  RALPH  ARNOLD 

AND 

V.  R.  GARFIAS 
Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


Reprinted    from    Bulletin    No.    87,    March, 

1914,  American  Institute  of  Mining 

Engineers 


(New  York  Meeting,  February,  1914) 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 
1914 


"\ 


.  TRANSACTIONS  OF  THE  AMERICAN  -INSTITUTE  OF  MINING  ENGINEERS 
SUBJECT  TO  REVISION] 

DISCUSSION  OF  THIS  PAPER  IS  INVITED.  It  should  preferably  be  presented  in  person  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Institute.  If  this  is  impossible  then  discussion  in  writing  may  be  sent  to  the  Editor, 
American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,  29  West  39th  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y.  Unless  special  ar- 
rangement is  made,  the  discussion  of  this  paper  will  close  Apr.  1,  1914. 


Geology  and  Technology  of  the  California  Oil  Fields 

BY  RALPH  ARNOLD  AND  V.  R.  GARFIAS,  LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 
(New  York  Meeting,  February,  1914) 

CONTENTS 

PAGK 

Introduction 383 

General  Statement 384 

Location  of  Oil  Districts 385 

Historical '. 387 

Present  Position  of  the  Larger  Companies 388 

Market  Conditions  and  Price  of  Oil 391 

Transportation 394 

Oil  in  Storage 400 

Storage  Capacity 400 

Refineries 401 

Exports 402 

Geologic  Formations  of  the  Oil  Districts 405 

Relation  of  Geologic  Structure  to  Oil  Deposits 411 

SAN  JOAQUIN  VALLEY  DISTRICTS: 

Coalinga  District 415 

Lost  Hills  District 421 

McKittrick  District 423,428 

Midway  District 423, 430 

Sunset  District 423, 433 

Kern  River  District 435 

COAST  DISTRICTS: 

Santa  Maria  District     ..." 439 

Summer-land  District 443 

Santa  Clara  Valley  District 447 

Los  Angeles  District. 455 

Puente  Hills  District     . 458 

Drilling  Methods 463 

Cost  of  Drilling 465 

Recovery  of  Oil    .  466 

Bibliography 466 

INTRODUCTION 

THE  following  paper  has  been  prepared  to  meet  a  demand  for  a  concise 
review  of  the  California  oil  industry.     It  is  based  largely  upon  information 

OQOfUKt 


384       GEOLOGY   AND 'TECHNOLOGY    CXF' THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS 

secured  during  the  course  of  :the  Senior  author's  professional  activities, 
and  upon  data  obtained  during  the  course  of  investigations  for  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey  and  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines.  Considerable  in- 
formation has  been  obtained  from  other  sources,  and  to  those  who  by 
publication  or  otherwise  have  contributed,  the  writers  extend  their 
thanks. 


GENERAL  STATEMENT 

In  1912  the  United  States  produced1  63.25  per  cent,  of  the  world's 
production  of  petroleum,  Russia,  its  nearest  competitor,  yielding  only 
about  19  per  cent.  The  production  in  1912  reached  222,113,218  barrels 
(or  29,615,096  metric  tons),  compared  with  220,449,391  barrels  in  1911. 
The  average  price  per  barrel  in  1912  was  nearly  74  c.,  as  against  nearly 
61  c.  in  1911.  The  total  value,  therefore,  increased  22.20  per  cent.,  or 
$163,802,334  above  the  value  for  the  previous  year.  These  figures  of 
production  include  pipe-line  runs,  independent  railroad  shipments,  oil 
piped  direct  to  refineries,  and  the  crude  oil  consumed  as  fuel  in  oil  produc- 
tion. The  production  does  not  include  oil  in  storage  in  the  field  which 
has  not  been  sold. 

California  ranks  first  of  all  the  States  in  the  Union  in  the  production 
and  value  of  petroleum,  the  total  output  in  1912  being  86,450,767  barrels, 
or  an  increase  of  6.55  per  cent,  over  the  production  of  the  State  in  1911. 
Consumption,  however,  increased  18.8  per  cent.  Stocks  increased  from 
44,240,118  barrels  at  the  end  of  1911  to  4^552,392  barrels  at  the  end 
of  1912,  when  consumption  had  nearly  equaled  production.  The  average 
price  received  was  45.4  c.  per  barrel  in  1912,  against  47.7  c.  in  1911. 

Oil  stands  first  in  value  in  the  State's  mineral  products,  the  output  in 
1913  being  valued  at  $43,500,0002  as  against  $20,000,000  for  gold,  its 
nearest  competitor.  Eleven  districts  furnish  the  product,  and  these, 
in  the  order  of  their  importance  in  1912,  are  listed  in  the  table  on  the 
opposite  page. 

With  the  exception  of  a  negligible  quantity  of  oil  carrying  some 
paraffine,  all  of  the  oil  from  the  California  fields  has  an  asphalt  base. 
About  40  per  cent,  is  what  is  commonly  known  as  heavy  or  fuel  oil,  while 
about  60  per  cent,  is  passed  through  stills  for  topping  or  refining,  the 
residuum  being  used  as  fuel.  The  bulk  of  the  production  is,  therefore, 
used  for  fuel  or  road  dressing,  either  in  its  crude  state  or  as  residuum. 
Most  of  it  is  utilized  in  the  Pacific  States  and  Canada,  but  some  is  ex- 
ported to  the  adjacent  States  to  the  east,  and  to  Hawaii,  Japan,  Alaska, 
Panama,  and  South  America. 

1  Figures  taken  from  Mineral  Resources,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

2  Preliminary  estimate  of  the  State  Mineralogist. 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS       385 

Production  of  Petroleum  in  California  for  1912 
In  Barrels  of  42  gal. 

Valley  Districts: 

Coalinga 19,911,820 

Lost  Hills 1,367,359 

McKittrick 5,881,996 

Midway 23,928,368 

Sunset 6,509,093 

Kern  River 12,558^439 


,70,157,075 
Coast  Districts: 

Santa  Maria 5,909,300 

Summer-land 65,376 

Santa  Clara  Valley 746,780 

Los  Angeles 2,670,463 

Puente  Hills 6,881,650 

Other  fields 20,123 


V  16,293,692 

Total 86,450,767 

The  proved  area  of  oil-producing  territory  in  California  is  approxi- 
mately 100,000  acres,  and  this  practically  represents  the  possible  acreage, 
as  it  does  not  seem  probable  that  any  more  large  districts  will  be  dis- 
covered. For  that  reason,  further  development  doubtless  will  be  carriebl 
on  within  the  limits  of  the  prove'd  fields  or  along  the  line  of  minor  exten- 
sions of  the  same.  Assuming  the  possible  productive  area  confined  to 
the  present  districts,  California  is  still  destined,  according  to  the  most 
conservative  estimates,  to  hold  premier  place  among  the  oil-producing 
States  of  the  Union  for  many  years. 


LOCATION  OF  OIL  DISTRICTS 

California  is  the  southernmost  State  of  the  United  States  of  America 
adjacent  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  It  includes  an  area  of  158,360  square 
miles,  comprised  within  an  irregular  strip  about  200  miles  wide,  roughly 
paralleling  the  coast  for  800  miles.  The  trend  of  the  California  coast 
line  is  governed  by  that  of  the  western  flanks  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  These 
mountains  have  an  average  elevation  of  2,500  ft.  and  extend  from  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  State  in  a  southeasterly  direction  for  550 
miles)  changing  at  Point  Conception  to  a  more  easterly  trend,  which  is 
followed  to  the  Mexican  frontier,  250  miles  southeast.  This  natural 
western  boundary  is  duplicated  along  the  eastern  portion  of  the  State 
by  the  Sierra  Nevada,  a  range  of  lofty  peaks  rising,  on  an  average, 


386        GEOLOGY    AND    TECHNOLOGY    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS 

10,000  ft.  above  sea  level  and  culminating  in  Mount  Whitney,  the  highest 
mountain  in  the  United  States,  14,500  ft.  high.  The  Sierra  roughly 
parallel  the  Coast  Ranges  throughout  the  central  half  of  the  State,  the 
depression  between  these  mountain  masses  forming  the  Sacramento  and 
San  Joaquin  valleys,  with  a  total  length  of  400  miles  and  an  average 
width  of  40  miles.  The  northern  part  of  this  depression  is  drained  by 
the  Sacramento  river,  the  southern  part  by  the  San  Joaquin,  which 
joins  the  Sacramento  and  discharges  through  a  narrow  channel  into 
San  Francisco  bay.  North  of  the  Sacramento  valley  and  south  of  the 
San  Joaquin,  the  Coast  Ranges  and  Sierra  Nevada  mountain  systems 
coalesce  into  extensive  regions  of  irregular  mountains  and  valleys. 

Valley  Districts. — All  the  commercially  productive  oil  fields  in 
California  are  located  in  the  southern  half  of  the  State  along  the  flanks 
of  the  Coast  Ranges,  as  shown  on  the  map,  Fig.  1.  The  most  important 
developed  fields  are  situated  along  the  southwestern  rim  of  the  San 
Joaquin  valley  and  extend,  with  intervening  unproductive  areas,  for 
about  100  miles.  The  San  Joaquin  valley  districts  include  the  Coalinga, 
Lost  Hills,  McKittrick,  Midway,  Sunset  and  Kern  River.  The  first 
is  in  Fresno  county,  about  250  miles  southeast  of  San  Francisco,  and  the 
last  five  in  Kern  county,  from  80  to  110  miles  further  southeast.  The 
Sunset  district  extends  around  the  angle  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
valley,  and  the  Kern  River  district  lies  on  the  lowest  foothills  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada,  near  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley. 

The  Valley  districts  produced  in  1912  over  70,000,000  barrels  of 
oil,  or  about  81  per  cent,  of  the  total  output  of  the  State.  With  the  ex- 
/^eption  of  the  oil  from  Lost  Hills,  Belridge,  and  local  areas  in  the  other 
fields,  which  produce  refining  grades  up  to  40°  Baume  gravity  (0.8235 
sp.  gr.),  the  product  of  the  Valley  districts  is  a  typical  fuel  oil,  averaging 
about  16°  Baume  (0.9589  sp.  gr.). 

Coast  Districts. — The  fields  which  yielded  in  1912  the  remaining  20 
per  cent,  of  the  State's  production  are  situated  on  the  western  flanks  of 
the  Coast  Ranges  in  secondary  ranges  and  valleys  merging  into  the  main 
system.  These  fields  extend  from  Santa  Barbara  county  on  the  north 
to  Orange  county  on  the  south,  throughout  a  distance  of  about  150  miles, 
greatest  portion  of  the  yield  of  these  fields  is  of  lighter  gravity  than 
the  product  from  the  Valley  fields,  the  oil  being  used  largely  for  refining. 

The  Santa  Maria  district  is  located  on  the  low  rolling  hills  near  the 
coast  of  Santa  Barbara  county,  about  280  miles  southeast  of  San  Francisco 
and  200  miles  northwest  of  Los  Angeles.  The  Summerland  district 
lies  immediately  on  the  coast,  120  miles  northwest  of  Los  Angeles,  while 
the  Santa  Clara  valley  district  includes  the  region  from  the  Newhall 
field  in  Los  Angeles  county,  40  miles  northwest  of  Los  Angeles,  to  the 
Ojai  Valley  field  in  Ventura  county,  50  miles  further  west.  The  topog- 
raphy of  the  Santa  Clara  valley  district  consists  largely  of  hills  and 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS       387 

valleys,  some  of  the  oil  fields  being  located  in  rugged  and  almost  inacces- 
sible places.  The  Los  Angeles  district  lies  on  or  along  the  edge  of  the 
great  coastal  plain  in  or  adjacent  to  the  city  of  Los  Angeles.  The 
Puente  Hills,  or  Fullerton  district,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  lies  on 
the  south  flank  of  the  Puente  hills  from  12  to  30  miles  southeast  of  Los 
Angeles. 


MAP  OF 
A  PORTION  OF  O 

CALIFORNIA 

SHOWING  PIPE  LINES  AND  OIL  DISTRICTS 
SCALE  OF  MILES 


AN>^SA    "NTVCRUZ     *' 

V 


FIG.   1. — MAP  OF  A  PORTION  OP  CALIFORNIA  SHOWING  PIPES  LINES  AND  OIL 

DISTRICTS. 

HISTORICAL 

The  oil  industry  in  California  owes  its  origin  to  asphaltum  mining. 
The  first  definite  effort  to  develop  oil  in  California  was  made  in  the  Ojai 
valley,  Ventura  county,  in  1867,  when  a  shallow  well  was  drilled  near  one 
of  the  numerous  brea  or  asphaltum  deposits  of  this  region  which  had  been 
worked  for  some  time  previous.  Owing  to  the  lack  of  proper  tools  for 
operation,  and  insufficient  knowledge  concerning  the  handling  of  the 
heavy  oil  obtained,  this  well  was  not  a  success.  Following  the  drilling 


388       GEOLOGY   AND    TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

of  the  Ojai  valley  well  there  was  a  lapse  of  several  years  and  then  came 
more  determined  development  work  in  the  region  of  Pico  canyon  and 
Newhall,  in  western  Los  Angeles  county.  Here  a  light  oil  suitable  for 
refining  was  obtained,  and  a  little  later  development  work  in  Adams 
canyon,  south  of  Santa  Paula,  Ventura  county,  and  in  the  Puente  hills, 
southeast  of  Los  Angeles,  was  rewarded  by  the  finding  of  refining  oils. 
No  use  was  known  for  the  heavy  oils  at  that  time,  and,  as  a  consequence, 
prospecting  in  regions  where  these  were  known  to  exist  was  not  pushed. 

The  discovery  of  the  Los  Angeles  and  Summer  land  districts  in  1894 
marks  the  beginning  of  the  fuel-oil  production  in  California.  Previous 
to  this  year  the  maximum  yearly  production  of  the  State  had  been  less 
than  500,000  barrels.  The  Coalinga  field  was  the  first  commercially 
productive  district  in  the  San  Joaquin  valley,  yielding  during  its  first 
year,  in  1896,  about  14,000  barrels. 

The  year  of  1900,  when  the  Kern  River  district  was  discovered,  marks 
the  beginning  of  the  important  development  and  the  initiation  of  Cali- 
fornia as  a  factor  in  the  world's  oil  production. 

A  table  of  the  yearly  production  from  1865  to  1912,  inclusive,  is 
given  herewith  (pp.  468  and  469.)  Details  of  the  history  of  the  in- 
dustry will  be  given  in  discussing  each  separate  field. 

PRESENT  POSITION  OF  THE  LARGER  COMPANIES 

In  order  to  understand  the  present  situation  of  the  oil  industry  in 
California,  it  is  well  to  discuss  the  early  history  of  the  oil-field  regions 
before  the  fields  were  discovered,  particularly  in  regard  to  land  ownership. 

After  California  was  ceded  by  Mexico  in  1846,  it  became  a  national 
necessity  of  the  greatest  importance  to  connect  the  two  seaboards  by 
rail.  As  a  result,  railroad  companies  were  organized  to  build  a  trans- 
continental railroad  from  Ogden,  Utah,  to  San  Francisco,  and  later  from 
New  Orleans,  La.,  through  Galveston,  Texas,  to  San  Francisco. 

Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Co. — As  a  special  inducement,  or  bonus, 
to  the  railroads,  the  U.  S.  Congress  granted  in  certain  regions  every 
alternate  square  mile  of  government  land  within  a  zone  along  the  rail- 
road lines  varying  between  10  and  20  miles  in  width.  It  so  happened 
that  a  large  portion  of  the  land  in  which  the  San  Joaquin  valley  districts 
are  now  located  came  within  the  20-  nile  zone  allotted  to  the  Southern 
Pacific  railroad  for  building  its  line  along  the  valley,  and  as  a  consequence 
every  alternate  section  of  land  within  this  zone  became  the  property  of 
the  railroad.  (In  this  connection  it  should  be  remembered  that  these 
Valley  fields  yield  at  present  about  80  per  cent,  of  the  State's  production.) 
When  some  of  these  lands  were  granted  to  the  railroad,  the  government 
reserved  the  mineral  rights  on  same,  but  at  the  time  neither  the  govern- 
ment nor  the  railroad  officials  knew  of  the  existence  of  the  oil  deposits.  Be- 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       389 

fore  the  discovery  of  the  Valley  fields,  the  railroad  company  sold  a  small 
portion  of  this  land  and  rented  a  larger  amount.  However,  it  still 
retained  and  at  present  owns  practically  every  alternate  section  of  land 
throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley  fields.  The 
Coast  fields  being  located  in  the  fertile  lands  nearer  the  ocean  were  owned 
in  large  areas — Spanish  grants — by  the  descendants  of  the  Spanish  settlers, 
and  little,  if  any,  of  the  oil  territory  on  the  coast  was  public  domain  and 
as  such  granted  to  the  railroad. 

Kern  Trading  &  Oil  Co. — In  order  to  handle  the  oil  business  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Co.,  the  Kern  Trading  &  Oil  Co.  was  organized, 
and  the  oil  lands  of  the  railroad  transferred  or  leased  to  the  new  company. 
The  K.  T.  &  0.,  as  it  is  commonly  known  in  the  State,  has  not  carried  on 
systematic  development  in  all  of  the  districts  in  the  San  Joaquin  valley, 
but  has  contented  itself  with  protecting  its  property  lines  by  drilling 
opposite  neighboring  wells.  At  present  this  company  controls  about  10 
per  cent,  of  the  total  yield  of  the  State,  all  of  which  is  used  by  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  Co.  for  fuel  in  locomotives  and  shops. 

Associated  Oil  Co. — In  1902  a  number  of  oil-producing  properties  in 
the  Kern  River  district  consolidated  under  the  name  of  the  Associated 
Oil  Co.  and  extended  their  operations  to  practically  every  district  in  the 
State.  Soon  afterward  this  company,  in  conjunction  with  the  Southern 
Pacific,  organized  the  Associated  Pipe  Line  Co.  for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing pipe  lines  from  the  Valley  fields  to  San  Francisco  bay,  each  company 
being  entitled  to  one-half  the  carrying  capacity  of  the  line.  In  1905 
the  Associated  became  a  subsidiary  of  the  Southern  Pacific  when  the 
latter  obtained  the  control  of  a  majority  of  the  Associated  stock.  The 
Associated  and  subsidiary  oil  companies  control  about  22  per  cent,  of 
the  State's  production,  which,  added  to  the  production  of  the  Kern  Trad- 
ing &  Oil  Co.,  brings  the  total  oil  controlled  by  the  Southern  Pacific 
group  to  about  32  per  cent,  of  the  production  of  California.  The  South- 
ern Pacific  and  the  Kern  Trading  &  Oil  Co.  control  the  greater  portion 
of  the  undeveloped  land  in  proved  territory3  which  contains  the  bulk  of 
the  future  oil  supply  of  the  State. 

The  Southern  Pacific,  through  its  subsidiary  companies,  controls 
pipe  lines  from  the  Valley  fields  to  tidewater,  with  a  combined  daily 
capacity  estimated  at  58,000  barrels,  and  pipe  lines  from  some  of  the  Coast 
fields  to  the  seaboard  with  an  aggregate  daily  capacity  of  about  25,000 
barrels.  The  Associated  Oil  Co.  owns  a  fleet  of  tank  steamers  plying 
mainly  along  the  Pacific  Coast  States  and  Canada. 

Standard  Oil  Co. — Early  in  the  oil  history  of  California,  the  Standard 
Oil  Co.  obtained  control  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Co.  and  became  interested 


8  The  United  States  government  has  instituted  suits  against  the  Southern  Pacific 
railroad  in  an  effort  to  recover  a  p'art  of  these  lands. 


390        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

in  the  transporting,  marketing,  and  refining  of  oil.  As  the  industry 
grew  it  built  pipe  lines  to  every  important  district  in  the  State,  also 
extensive  refineries  .near  San  Francisco  and  Los  Angeles.  Lately  this 
company  has  become  an  important  factor  in  oil  production,  particularly 
in  the  Valley  fields,  and  at  present  controls  over  30  per  cent,  of  the  pro- 
duction of  the  State  and  the  greater  part  of  the  refining  industry.  The 
Standard  pipe  line  system  from  the  Valley  fields  to  San  Francisco  bay 
has  an  aggregate  capacity  of  about  65,000  barrels  per  day,  the  coast 
system  of  pipe  lines  having  a  daily  estimated  capacity  of  30,000  barrels. 
This  company  also  owns  an  up-to-date  fleet  of  tank  steamers  plying 
along  the  Pacific  seaboard  and  to  foreign  ports. 

Union-Agency  Companies. — The  Union  Oil  Co.  was  organized  in 
1890,  and  at  present  owns  productive  oil  lands  in  nearly  every  district 
in  the  State;  a  fleet  of  tank  steamers;  refineries  near  San  Francisco  and  at 
Port  Harford;  and  pipe  lines  from  the  different  districts  to  tidewater. 
It  also  owns  a  pipe  line  across  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  used  to  supply 
fuel  to  the  different  plants  in  the  Canal  zone. 

About  four  years  ago  a  number  of  independent  producers  in  the  Valley 
fields  organized  the  Independent  Producers  Agency  in  order  to  market 
to  better  advantage  their  combined  product,  which  at  that  time  'ag- 
gregated between  15,000  and  20,000  barrels  of  oil  per  day.  It  soon  be- 
came apparent  to  the  Agency  members  that  in  order  to  dispose  of  their 
oil  to  any  but  the  California  marketing  companies  owning  pipe  lines  it 
would  be  necessary  for  the  Agency  to  transport  its  oil  to  the  coast.  To 
this  end  the  Agency  enlisted  the  aid  of  the  Union  Oil  Co.,  and  as  a  result 
the  Producers  Transportation  Co.  was  organized  to  build  a  system  of 
pipe  lines  connecting  the  Valley  districts  to  Port  Harford.  The  Union 
Oil  Co.  acts  as  the  marketing  agent  for  the  oil  produced  by  the  companies 
in  the  Agency.  At  present  there  are  about  170  companies  in  the  Agency, 
their  combined  production,  and  that  of  the  Union  Oil  Co.  which  is 
handled  in  conjunction  with  the  Agency's  oil,  totaling  about  25  per  cent, 
of  the  State's  yield. 

General  Petroleum  Co. — Two  years  ago  the  General  Petroleum  Co. 
was  organized,  acquiring  a  number  of  the  small  independent  properties. 
Later,  the  General  Pipe  Line  Co.  was  organized  as  an  affiliate  of  the 
General  Petroleum  Co.,  and  built  a  pipe  line  connecting  the  Midway 
district  to  Los  Angeles.  Last  year  the  General  Petroleum  Co.  came  into 
prominence  when  it  secured  an  option  to  buy  the  Union  Oil  and  subsidiary 
companies.  If  this  purchase  is  consummated,  the  General  Petroleum, 
Union  Oil,  and  Independent  Producers  group  will  become  one  of  the  most 
important  in  the  State  and  will  control  about  one-third  of  the  total  present 
yield. 

Royal  Dutch-Shell  Co. — During  the  present  year — 1913 — the  Royal 
Dutch-Shell  group  acquired  the  California  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  one  of  the 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        391 

largest  companies  outside  of  those  just  mentioned,  and  one  or  two  other 
properties  in  the  Valley  fields,  and  although  it  is  estimated  that  thet 
present  combined  production  of  these  properties  represents  a  small  per- 
centage of  the  total  yield  of  the  State,  it  is  natural  to  suppose  that  such 
a  strong  organization  as  the  Royal  Dutch-Shell  Co.  will  eventually  assume 
a  more  important  position  in  the  California  petroleum  industry. 

It  is  estimated  that  there  were  290  oil-producing  companies  in  the 
State  during  1912,  with  a  combined  production  of  some  86,450,000  barrels 
for  the  year,  and  that  about  87  per  cent,  of  this  was  controlled  by  the 
three  groups  first  mentioned  through  purchase  from  independent  con- 
sumers, royalties  from  rented  oil  lands,  and  production  from  their  own 
properties,  the  remaining  13  per  cent,  being  marketed  by  small  inde- 
pendent companies. 

MARKET  CONDITIONS  AND  PRICE  OF  OIL 

The  Railroads  and  the  Price  of  Oil. — The  largest  consumers  of  oil 
in  the  State  are  the  railroads,  it  being  estimated  that  in  1912  the  Southern 
Pacific  alone  used  11,680,000  barrels,  or  13.5  per  cent,  of  the  total  pro- 
duction of  the  State,  or  about  16.4  per  cent,  of  the  production  of  the 
Valley  fields,  from  which  the  fuel  supply  of  the  railroads  is  obtained 
almost  entirely.  It  is  thought  that  trie  Kern  Trading  &  Oil  Co.  furnished 
the  Southern  Pacific  railroad  only  a  portion  of  the  oil  consumed,  the 
remainder  being  obtained  from  other  sources.  The  Atchison,  Topeka 
&  Santa  Fe  railroad  also  owns  a  large  acreage  of  proved  land  in  the 
Midway  district  and  lesser  holdings  in  the  Kern  River  and  Puente  Hills 
districts,  and  produces  much  of  its  own  oil,  but  still  buys  some.  It  is 
evident,  therefore,  that  it  is  to  the  railroads'  advantage  to  try  to  hold 
the  price  of  fuel  oil  as  low  as  possible.  Again,  there  will  be  no  immediate 
need  to  develop  further  the  railroad  oil  lands  if  the  independent  producer, 
who  must  continue  to  operate  his  producing  wells  under  the  present 
unfavorable  conditions,  as  a  matter  of  self  preservation,  is  compelled 
to  sell  his  product  at  a  price  below  what  it  costs  the  railroad  companies 
to  produce  it,  for  under  these  circumstances  the  required  amount  is 
readily  and  cheaply  obtained  by  the  railroads  while  they  save  their  own 
supply  for  future  demands. 

At  present  the  Standard  Oil  Co.  produces  little  heavy  oil  and  does 
not  buy  any  under  18°  Baume"  (0.9459  sp.  gr.).  It  is  not  concerned, 
therefore,  about  the  price  at  which  the  heavier  grades  are  purchased  by 
the  railroads.  True  this  company  sells  in  the  State  and  exports  residuum 
from  its  refineries  for  fuel,  but  the  profits  derived  from  the  sale  of  this 
heavy  oil  are  believed  to  be  small  compared  with  those  derived  from  the 
sale  of  its  lighter  refined  products.  For  these  and  other  reasons  which 
have  been  made  clear  in  the  course  of  time,  the  Standard  Oil  Co.  and  the 


392    JGEOLOGY  AND  TECHNOLOGY  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  OIL  FIELDS 

Southern  Pacific  Co.  and  the  latter's  subsidiaries  have  worked  in  harmony 
as  regards  their  influence  toward  keeping  the  price  of  crude  oil  in  Cali- 
fornia as  low  as  possible.  This  condition  was  brought  about  and  made 
possible  by  the  control  of  the  oil-transportation  facilities  by  the  two  com- 
panies, and  has  been  sustained  by  the  overproduction  occasioned  by  the 
bringing  in  during  the  last  three  or  four  years  of  the  large  flowing  wells 
in  the  Valley  districts. 

Position  of  the  Small  Producer. — Under  these  conditions  an  inde- 
pendent company  in  the  Valley  fields,  producing  the  average  quality  of 
fuel  oil,  had  to  sell  at  the  price  offered  by  the  Standard  Oil  or  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  companies,  or,  as  an  alternative,  ship  the  product  by 
rail  to  the  coast  and  sell  it  in  the  open  market.  In  most  cases  this  last 
course  did  not  materially  improve  conditions,  as  the  railroad  freight  on 
oil  from  the  Valley  fields  to  San  Francisco  added  to  the  cost  of  trans- 
porting the  oil  from  the  property  to  the  railroad,  and  to  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction, left,  as  a  rule,  little  or  no  margin  of  profit  at  the  price  paid  for 
the  oil  at  tidewater. 

Effect  of  the  Advent  of  an  Independent  Transportation  Company. — In 
an  effort  to  improve  these  conditions,  the  Independent  Producers  Agency 
was  organized,  and  later,  with  the  help  of  the  Union  Oil  Co.,  the  Pro- 
ducers Transportation  Co.  built  pipe  lines  from  the  valley  to  the  coast. 
The  Producers  Agency  became  a  sort  of  clearing  house  for  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  oil  produced  by  independent  companies,  charging  for  its  hand- 
ling J  c.  per  barrel.  The  Agency  has  no  interest  in  the  transporta- 
tion company,  the  only  tie  being  a  contract  which  binds  them  for  a  term 
of  ten  years  beginning  with  1910.  The  Producers  Transportation  Co. 
charges  the  Agency's  members  from  17  to  22  c.  per  barrel  for  piping 
the  oil  from  the  fields  to  Port  Harford,  on  the  coast.  The  Union  Oil  Co. 
acts  as  the  selling  agent  for  the  Agency,  and  is  empowered  to  make  con- 
tracts, subject  to  the  Agency's  approval,  for  the  whole  or  any  part  of 
the  combined  production. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  noted  that  up  to  the  present  time  the 
local  marketing  conditions  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley  oil  produced  by 
independent  operators  have  only  been  slightly  improved  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Producers  Transportation  Co. ;  in  fact,  with  oil  selling  at  San 
Francisco  for  70  c.  per  barrel,  there  is  practically  no  opportunity  for  the 
producer  to  market  his  oil  there  at  a  profit,  as  Port  Harford  is  about 
215  miles  from  San  Francisco  and  the  oil  has  to  be  transported  in  tank 
steamers.  It  is  expected  by  many  familiar  with  the  oil  situation  that 
with  the  passing  of  the  present  period  of  overproduction  the  price  of 
oil  will  be  materially  increased,  as  soon  as  the  large  companies  are  com- 
pelled to  draw  from  their  stock  to  fulfill  their  selling  contracts.  While 
the  producer,  up  to  the  present  time,  has  benefited  only  slightly  by  the 
organization  of  the  Agency  and  the  Producers  Transportation  Co., 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       393 

this  latter  company,  on  the  other  hand,  has  become  a  very  lucrative  en- 
terprise. It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  even  under  the  present  un- 
favorable conditions,  the  position  of  the  independent  producers  would 
be  improved  had  they  been  able  at  the  outset  to  build  their  own  pipe 
line  and  operate  it  to  their  mutual  benefit. 

Oil  Reserve  and  Future  Price  of  Oil. — The  probable  productive  oil 
territory  of  California  is  to  all  intents  and  purposes  outlined  to-day, 
and  the  same  statement  holds  good  for  all  of  the  Pacific  coast  of  the  United 
States,  for  outside  of  California  there  is  within  the  region  mentioned, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  Alaska,  no  commercial  oil  field,  nor  do 
the  geologic  conditions  offer  any  hope  of  any  important  field  ever  being 
developed. 

The  proved  area  of  California  consists  of  approximately  100,000 
acres,  or  156  square  miles,  outside  of  which  there  is  a  relatively  small 
amount  of  probable  territory,  and  this  latter  area  is  becoming  more  and 
more  restricted  each  year  through  the  adverse  results  obtained  in  the 
drilling  of  test  or  "  wild-cat "  wells  at  the  most  favorable  localities. 
This  proved  acreage  contains  an  available  reserve  which  the  senior  author 
has  estimated  at  from  four  to  eight  billion  barrels  of  oil,  the  variability 
in  estimate  being  due  to  the  uncertain  effects  which  such  factors  as  the 
ingress  of  water,  etc.,  have  on  the  quantity  which  can  be  recovered  at  a 
commercial  profit.  The  oil  production  of  California  for  the  calendar 
year  1913  was  about  97,000,000  barrels,  which  is  the  maximum  for  any 
one  year  up  to  date.  At  this  rate  of  production,  the  California  fields 
would  last  only  40  to  80  years,  but  it  is  quite  obvious  to  any  one  who  has 
studied  the  normal  rate  of  decrease  in  the  production  of  individual  wells, 
even  in  a  cursory  manner,  that  it  will  take  a  most  vigorous  campaign 
of  drilling  to  keep  up  the  present  rate,  let  alone  increase  it  to  any  ap- 
preciable extent.  Furthermore,  within  a  short  time  the  production  will 
begin  to  decrease  in  spite  of  the  most  extensive  drilling,  as  it  has  done  in 
other  States,  so  that  it  will  require  from  50  to  100  years  in  which  to  re- 
cover the  available  supply. 

Roughly  speaking,  it  has  been  found  by  experience  that  to  simply 
maintain  the  production  of  any  group  of  wells  in  California,  it  is  necessary 
to  drill  one  new  well  each  year  for  every  five  producing  during  that  year. 
In  other  words,  the  normal  decrease  is  nearer  20  per  cent,  than  10  per  cent, 
as  was  estimated  when  the  field  gas  pressure  was  high. 

Although  the  production  in  California  has  grown  rapidly  during  the 
past  few  years,  the  consumption  has  nearly  kept  pace.  At  present  the 
oil  in  storage  in  the  State  is  about  50,000,000  barrels,  or  only  about  a  six 
months'  supply.  For  the  first  half  of  1913  the  surplus  production  over 
consumption  averaged  only  2,085  barrels  per  day;  for  October  the  average 
was  about  18,000  barrels  per  day  and  practically  all  of  this  came  from 
the  flush  yield  of  two  or  three  big  gushers  which  were  recently  brought 


394       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

in  and  the  production  from  which  is  even  now  rapidly  falling  off.  In 
estimating  future  production,  the  flush  yield  of  gushers  must  be  taken 
into  account,  but  in  this  connection  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  these 
big  wells  are  becoming  less  and  less  common  and  their  period  of  ab- 
normally large  flow  shorter  and  shorter  as  the  fields  become  developed 
and  the  field  gas  pressure  is  consequently  reduced. 

As  a  concluding  statement  concerning  production,  it  is  the  senior 
author's  belief  that  the  total  yield  of  California  for  any  one  year  will 
never  go  much,  if  any,  over  100,000,000  barrels  and  that  the  time  will 
come  within  the  next  year  or  two  when  the  maximum  production  will 
be  reached,  after  which,  the  curve  of  production  will  be  a  descending  one. 
Such  has  been  the  history  of  all  of  the  older  fields  in  this  country  and 
such  is  the  logical  result  to  be  expected  in  California.  With  the  in- 
creasing uses  and  markets  for  oil  resulting  in  a  constantly  increasing 
consumption,  it  is  obvious  that  the  price  of  oil  will  go  up  rapidly  the  min- 
ute the  general  public  realizes  that  the  reserves  are  being  drawn  upon  to 
meet  the  demand. 

The  standard  for  fuel  values  is  coal,  and  compared  with  coal  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  heat  unit  for  heat  unit,  oil  is  worth  93  c.  per  barrel  at  the 
well..  Considering  the  many  acknowledged  advantages  which  oil  has 
over  coal  as  a  fuel,  and  the  many  uses  for  which  oil  is  more  valuable  than 
as  a  fuel,  it  will  be  clear  to  the  thoughtful  man  that  the  price  of  even  fuel 
oil  will  eventually  go  much  higher  than  the  standard  set  by  coal.  True, 
certain  of  the  larger  companies  in  the  California  field  are  not  talking  in 
an  optimistic  vein  regarding  the  immediate  future  price  of  oil,  but  their 
almost  feverish  activity  to  acquire  additional  acreage  and  production 
speaks  louder  than  words  as  to  their  real  beliefs  in  the  matter. 


TRANSPORTATION 

K 

In  order  to  understand  the  conditions  affecting  oil  transportation  from 
any  district  to  the  coast,  it  is  necessary  to  keep  in  mind  whether  the  dis- 
trict in  question  is  located  along  the  western  (Coast  districts)  or  eastern 
flanks  (Valley  districts)  of  the  Coast  ranges.  Transportation  from 
the  Coast  districts  to  tidewater  is  a  comparatively  simple  and  inexpensive 
operation,  the  distance  that  the  oil  has  to  be  piped  never  being  over  50 
miles.  Ideal  conditions  are  attained  in  the  Los  Angeles  field,  where 
producing  wells  are  located  about  1  mile  from  the  business  center  of  the 
city  of  Los  Angeles,  which  has  an  estimated  population  of  400,000. 
The  Puente  Hills  district  lies  from  12  to  25  miles  east  of  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles  and  about  30  miles  from  Los  Angeles  harbor.  Another  district 
advantageously  located  is  the  Summerland,  where  the  wells  are  located 
on  wharves  and  drilled  under  the  Pacific  ocean.  Nearly  all  the  lines 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFOKNIA   OIL   FIELDS       395 

joining  the  Coast  fields  to  Los  Angeles  or  tidewater  are  laid  over  flat 
or  low  rolling  ground,  and  their  operation  is  further  facilitated  by  the 
high  gravity  of  the  oil  produced  in  most  of  the  fields.  In  fact,  nearly 
all  the  lines  from  the  Santa  Clara  valley  fields  transporting  light  oils 
are  operated  without  pumps,  the  oil  gravitating  for  about  50  miles  to 
Ventura,  on  the  coast.  The  good  quality  of  the  oil  and  the  low  cost  of 
transporting  it  to  the  market  greatly  benefit  the  independent  producer  in 
the  Coast  fields,  as  the  large  marketing  companies  are  anxious  to  obtain 
all  the  light  oil  in  these  fields  and  the  heavier  grades  can  be  readily  dis- 
posed of  at  a  good  price  to  the  small  consumers  in  the  cities  along  the 
coast.  Unfortunately,  the  most  productive  fields  (yielding  80  per  cent, 
of  the  State's  production)  are  separated  from  tidewater  by  the  Coast 
ranges,  and  in  order  to  transport  the  oil  to  the  coast  it  is  necessary  to 
pipe  it  for  280  miles  along  the  San  Joaquin  valley  and  out  to  San  Francisco 
bay,  or  from  110  to  160  miles  over  the  Coast  ranges  to  Monterey  bay, 
Port  Harford,  or  Los  Angeles.  The  cost  of  building  and  operating  these 
pipe  lines  can  be  afforded  only  by  organizations  with  large  financial  back- 
ing and  which  control  enough  production  to  keep  the  lines  in  continuous 
operation  at  their  full  working  capacity.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that 
the  cost  of  piping  the  bulk  of  the  State's  yield  (which  represents  prac- 
tically all  the  fuel  oil  produced)  from  the  Valley  districts  to  tidewater  has 
a  most  vital  effect  on  the  oil  industry  of  the  State. 


Pipe  Lines  from  the  Valley  Districts  to  Tidewater 

The  pipe  lines  from  the  Valley  districts  to  the  sea  coast  are  owned  or 
controlled,  either  directly  or  through  some  subsidiary  company,  by  the 
Standard  Oil,  Southern  Pacific,  Union  Oil,  and  General  Petroleum  com- 
panies. The  Valley  system  of  the  Standard  consists  of: 


Standard  Oil  Co. 

Estimated 

Daily  Capacity 

Barrels 

Two  8-in.  trunk  lines  275  miles  long  from  Kern  River  district  to 

San  Francisco  bay 60,000 

One  8-in.  branch  line  28  miles  long  from  Coalinga  to  Mendota 28,000 

Two  8-in.  branch  lines  36  miles  long  from  Kern  River  to  Midway. . .  65,000 

One  8-in.  branch  line  21  miles  long  from  Lost  Hills  to  Pond 20,000 

The  working  capacity  of  the  Standard  Oil  Co.'s  Valley  system  con- 
necting all  the  San  Joaquin  districts  to  Point  Richmond  in  San  Francisco 
bay  is  that  of  the  two  trunk  lines,  or  about  60,000  barrels  per  day. 


396       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Southern  Pacific  Railroad 

Estimated 
Daily  Capacity 
Associated  Pipe  Line  Co.  Barrels 

One  8-in.  trunk  line  280  miles  long  from  Kern  River  to  San  Fran- 
cisco bay 13,000 

One  8-in.  trunk  line  285  miles  long  from  Sunset  district  to  San 

Francisco  bay 30,000 

Associated  Transportation  Co. 

One  6-in.  trunk  line  110  miles  long  from  Coalinga  district  to  Mon- 
terey bay 15,000 

The  total  daily  capacity  of  pipe  lines  controlled  by  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  Co.  from  the  Valley  districts  to  San  Francisco  bay  is 
43,000  barrels,  and  from  the  Coalinga  district  to  Monterey  bay  15,000 
barrels,  making  a  grand  total  of  58,000  barrels  as  the  carrying  capacity 
of  this  company's  lines  from  the  Valley  districts  to  tidewater. 

Union  Oil  Co. 

Estimated 
Daily  Capacity 
Producers  Transportation  Co.  Barrels 

Two  8-in.  trunk  lines  70  miles  long  from  Junction  to  Port  Harford. .    50,000 
With  8-in.  branch  lines  to  Coalinga,  Kern  River,  Sunset,  Midway,  and 
Lost  Hills. 

The  Union  Oil  Co.,  therefore,  controls  pipe-line  transportation  facil- 
ities from  all  the  San  Joaquin  valley  districts  to  Port  Harford,  having  an 
aggregate  daily  capacity  of  about  50,000  barrels.  It  should  be  noted 
that  Port  Harford  is  situated  215  miles  southeast  of  San  Francisco,  and 
200  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Los  Angeles. 

General  Petroleum  Co. 
General  Pipe  Line  Co. 

This  company  has  one  8-in.  pipe  line  from  the  Midway  district  to  Los  Angeles 
harbor,  a  distance  of  158  miles,  the  estimated  daily  capacity  of  which  is  about  30,000 
barrels.  A  branch  8-in.  line  35  miles  long  runs  from  Lebeck  Station  to  Mojave, 
where  the  oil  is  topped  before  shipping  by  rail  to  the  south  and  east  of  Mojave. 

Summary 

Barrels 

Total  daily  carrying  capacity  of  Valley  system  of  pipe  lines 198,000 

Daily  production  of  Valley  districts  during  1912 194,500 

Available  daily  pipe-line  capacity  in  excess  of  production,  as- 
suming all  lines  working  at  their  rated  capacity 3,500 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       397 

Pipe  Lines  from  the  Coast  Districts  to  Tidewater 

The  Santa  Maria  and  Santa  Clara  valley  oil  districts  are  connected 
by  pipe  lines  to  seaboard,  while  practically  all  the  oil  produced  in  the  Los 
Angeles  and  Puente  Hills  districts  is  piped  or  hauled  into  or  near  Los 
Angeles,  where  it  is  used  as  fuel  or  by  refineries. 


Pipe  Lines  from  Santa  Maria  District  to  Seaboard. 

Standard  Oil  Co. 

Barrels 

One  8-in.  line  32  miles  long  from  Orcutt  to  Port  San  Luis,  esti- 
mated capacity 20,000 

This  line  is  only  intermittently  used,  as  the  oil  controlled  by  the 
Standard  in  the  Santa  Maria  district  is  but  a  very  small  fraction  of  the 
capacity  of  the  line. 

Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Co. 

Associated  Pipe  Line  Co.  Barrels 

One  8-in.?  line  35  miles  long  from  Santa  Maria  to  Gaviota,  estimated 

capacity 15,000 

One  8-in.  line  30  miles  long  from  Orcutt  to  Port  Harford Idle 

Half  of  this  amount,  or  7,500  barrels,  belongs  to  the  Associated  Oil 
Co.,  the  Union  Oil  Co.  controlling  the  other  half. 

Union  Oil  Co. 

This  company,  through  its  subsidiaries,  controls: 

Barrels 

One  8-in.  line  50  miles  long  from  Santa  Maria  to  Port  Harford 
One  6-in.  line  30  miles  long  from  Santa  Maria  to  Port  Harford, 

estimated  capacity 40,000 

One  2-in.  line  30  miles  long  from  Santa  Maria  to  Port  Harford  for 

gasoline. 

This  company  makes  use  only  of  from  10,000  to  15,000  barrels  per 
day,  this  being  the  oil  controlled  and  produced  in  Santa  Maria. 

Other  Companies 

Final-Dome  Oil  Co. 

One  4-in  line  from  Santa  Maria  field  to  a  topping  plant  at  Betteravia  for 

crude. 
One  2-in.  line  from  Santa  Maria  field  to  a  topping  plant  at  Betteravia  for 

gasoline. 


398       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Summary 

Barrels 
Total  daily  carrying  capacity  of  Santa  Maria  system  of  pipe  lines, 

assuming  idle  lines  operating  at  full  rate  of  capacity 90,000 

Daily  production  of  Santa  Maria  district  during  1912 16,190 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  district  is  provided  with  ample  pipe-line  trans- 
portation facilities  to  seaboard,  being  able  to  carry  over  five  times  the 
production  of  the  field  during  1912. 

Pipe  Lines  from  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  District  to  Seaboard 
(Operating  mostly  by  gravity) 

Standard  Oil  Co. 

Barrels 

One   (2-in.,   3-in.),  44  miles  long  from  Newhall  field  through  Santa 

Clara  valley  fields  to  Ventura,  estimated  daily  capacity 1,400 

Union  Oil  Co.  Barrels     . 

One  4-in.  line  45  miles  long  from  Torrey  canyon  to  Ventura,  estimated 

daily  capacity 3,000 

Summary 

Barrels 

Total  daily  carrying  capacity  of  Santa  Clara  valley  system  of  pipe 

lines  to  Ventura 4,400 

Daily  production  of  Santa  Clara  valley  fields  for  1912  about 2,040 

These  fields  are,  therefore,  supplied  with  pipe  lines  having  an  aggre- 
gate capacity  of  about  twice  their  present  production. 

Pipe  Lines  from  the  Los  Angeles  and  Puente  Hills  Districts  to  Los  Angeles 

City  and  Harbor 

Standard  Oil  Co. 

This  company  owns  one  8-in.  line,  24  miles  long,  connecting  the  Puente  Hills 
district  to  the  refinery  at  El  Segundo,  near  the  coast,  about  15  miles  southwest  from 
Los  Angeles.  This  line  has  an  estimated  capacity  of  9,000  barrels  per  day. 

Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Co. 
Amalgamated  Oil  Co. 

The  Los  Angeles  fields  are  connected  to  a  refinery  near  the  city  of  Los  Angeles  by 
a  pipe  line  having  an  estimated  capacity  of  9,000  barrels  per  day. 

Union  Oil  Co 

Barrels 

One  8-in.  line  30  miles  long  from  Puente  Hills  to  Los  Angeles  harbor. 
One  6-in.  line  25  miles  long  from  Puente  Hills  to  Los  Angeles  harbor, 

estimated  daily  capacity 45,000 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        399 

Summary  of  Pipe-line   Transportation  in  California  Controlled  by  the 

Different  Companies 

Standard  Oil  Co. 

Barrels 

Valley  districts 60,000 

Coast  districts: 

Santa  Maria 20,000 

Santa  Clara  valley 1,400 

Puente  hills 9,000     30,400     90,400 


Southern  Pacific  Co. 

Valley  districts 58,000 

Coast  districts: 

Santa  Maria 22,500 

Los  Angeles 9,000     31,500     89,500 


Union  Oil  Co. 

Valley  districts 50,000 

Coast  districts: 

Santa  Maria 47,500 

Santa  Clara  valley 3,000 

Puente  hills 45,000     95,500    145,500 


General  Petroleum  Co. 
Midway  district 30,000 

Total  daily  carrying  capacity  of  all  the  pipe  lines  in  the  State 355,400 

Railroad  Transportation. — Although  the  bulk  of  the  production  of 
the  State  is  transported  through  pipe  lines,  a  considerable  amount  is 
shipped  in  tank  cars,  particularly  from  the  Midway  and  Kern  River  dis- 
tricts, to  points  in  the  San  Joaquin  valley,  the  oil  being  used  chiefly  by 
the  railroads.  Tank-car  transportation  is  also  resorted  to  in  hauling 
the  heavy  oil  produced  in  certain  areas  of  the  Santa  Maria  district,  and 
is  used  to  a  small  extent  for  transporting  minor  amounts  of  oil  from  prac- 
tically every  field  to  the  markets  or  refineries. 

Nearly  all  the  large  marketing  companies  have  their  own  cars,  the 
Standard  Oil  Co.,  which  operates  in  most  every  district  in  the  United 
States,  owning  over  15,000  through  its  subsidiary,  the  Union  Tank  Line 
Co.  The  Southern  Pacific  railroad  is  equipped  with  about  5,800  cars; 
the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe*  railroad  with  about  4,800;  and  the  San 
Pedro,  Los  Angeles  &  Salt  Lake  railroad  with  260.  The  Associated  Oil 
Co.  has  about  340;  the  Union  Oil  Co.  about  180;  the  Western  Pacific 
railroad  70;  and  other  smaller  concerns  own  a  greater  or  lesser  number 


400        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

according  to  their  needs.  The  cars  have  a  capacity  of  between  200  and 
300  barrels,  thus  necessitating  between  150  and  100  tank  cars  daily  to 
transport  as  much  oil  as  is  carried  by  an  8-in.  pipe  line  in  that  time. 

Tank-Steamer  Transportation. — The  transportation  of  oil  in  tankers 
is  conducted  mainly  from  San  Francisco  and  Port  Harford  along  the 
Pacific  coast  from  Chile  to  Alaska,  and  to  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  Japan, 
and  other  countries.  The  large  shipments  are  made  to  the  States  of 
Oregon  and  Washington,  to  Canada,  and  to  Hawaii.  The  tank  steamers 
are  owned  by  the  Standard  Oil,  Union  Oil,  and  Associated  Oil  companies, 
the  capacity  of  the  tankers  varying  between  10,000  and  65,000  barrels, 
the  largest  at  present  being  the  Richmond  of  the  Standard  and  the  Pectan 
of  the  Union,  with  an  estimated  capacity  of  65,000  barrels  each.  The 
number  of  oil-carrying  vessels  and  their  estimated  total  capacity,  con- 
trolled by  the  three  companies  at  present,  is  as  follows: 


Standard  Oil  Coa 

Vessels 
33 

Capacity 
Barrels 
1  360  000 

Union  Oil  Co  

17 

560,000 

Associated  Oil  Co  

8 

230  000 

58          2,150,000 

•  Includes  steamers  for  the  transportation  of  refined  products. 

OIL  IN  STOEAGE 

The  following  table  gives  in  a  condensed  form  the  oil  reserves  above 
ground  during  the  last  four  years.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  stocks  have 
increased  each  year  until  at  present  it  is  estimated  that  there  are  over 
48,000,000  barrels  on  hand.  This  accumulation  has  been  mainly  brought 
about  by  the  "bringing  in"  of  large  flowing  wells  in  the  Valley  fields  at  a 
time  when  the  consumption  was  absorbing  only  the  normal  output.  As 
a  result,  practically  all  the  overproduction  at  that  time  had  to  go  into 
storage. 

Oil  in  Storage  in  California  during  last  Four  Years 

Barrels 

1910  33,088,000 

1911  44,240,000 

1912  47,552,000 
1913"  48,000,000 

•  Estimated. 

STORAGE  CAPACITY 

In  order  to  store  the  large  overproduction  of  recent  years  it  has  be- 
come necessary  to  provide  ample  tankage  in  excess  of  that  required 
under  normal  conditions.  The  storage  usually  employed  is  of  five  differ- 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY   OP  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       401 

ent  types:  (1)  covered  steel  tanks;  (2)  covered  reinforced-concrete  tanks; 
(3)  covered  concrete-lined  reservoirs;  (4)  covered  clay  reservoirs;  (5) 
open  earth  reservoirs  or  sump  holes. 

The  steel  tanks  in  more  common  use  for  storing  oil  in  large  volumes 
are  those  having  capacities  of  55,000  and  37,000  barrels,  with  a  preference 
for  the  larger  size.  Two  1,000,000-barrel  reinforced-concrete  tanks 
were  built  near  the  Pacific  terminal  of  the  Producers  Transportation 
Co.'s  pipe  line,  the  walls  being  designed  to  carry  all  the  pressure  of  the 
oil  content.  These  tanks  were  not  very  economical  or  successful,  one  of 
them  partly  collapsing  when  oil  was  run  into  it.  The  most  efficient 
receptacles  for  storing  oil  in  large  amounts  are  the  concrete-lined  reser- 
voirs built  partly  into  the  ground.  The  Associated  Oil  Co.  has  followed 
this  method  of  construction  with  great  success.  The  capacity  of  these 
reservoirs  varies  between  500,000  and  750,000  barrels,  the  latter  figure 
being  found  more  economical.  The  Standard  Oil  Co.  has  used  the  covered 
earth  or  clay  reservoir,  varying  in  capacity  from  500,000  to  750,000 
barrels,  for  storing  the  heavy  oil  of  the  Kern  River  district.  It  is  claimed 
that  considerable  oil  is  lost  through  seepage  in  these  reservoirs,  as  there 
is  no  very  good  clay  available  near  the  fields  to  build  the  impervious 
inner  surfaces.  The  open  sump  holes  are  used  mainly  as  temporary 
storage,  for  the  settling  of  the  sand  in  the  oil,  and  in  case  of  the  unexpected 
"bringing  in"  of  a  large  gusher,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Lake  View 
gusher,  when  it  is  estimated  that  over  6,000,000  barrels  of  oil  were  stored 
in  open  earthen  reservoirs  at  one  time. 

The  storage  capacity  of  the  three  largest  companies  in  California  is 
estimated  to  be  as  follows: 

Barrels 

Standard  Oil  Co 30,000,000 

Associated  Oil  Co /. 12,000,000 

Union  Oil  Co 6,000,000 


48,000,000 

REFINERIES 
Standard  Oil  Co. 

Point  Richmond  Refinery. — This  is  the  largest  on  the  coast,  has  an 
estimated  daily  capacity  of  60,000  barrels,  and  is  located  on  San  Fran- 
cisco bay  at  the  terminal  of  the  Standard  Oil  Co.'s  pipe-line  system  from 
the  Valley  fields.  The  oil  is  carried  to  complete  fractionation,  the 
residuum  being  sold  locally  or  exported  for  fuel,  or  run  down  to  asphalt. 

El  Segundo  Refinery. — This  refinery  is  situated  on  the  coast  near 
Los  Angeles,  and  has  been  in  operation  but  a  short  time.  It  handles  oil 
from  the  Puente  Hills  and  Los  Angeles  districts  to  complete  fractionation, 
and  has  a  daily  capacity  of  about  15,000  barrels. 


402        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

Associated  Oil  Co. 

Avon  Refinery. — This  plant  is  located  on  San  Francisco  bay,  Contra 
Costa  county,  and  has  an  estimated  daily  capacity  of  20,000  barrels. 
Here  the  oil  from  the  Valley  fields  is  refined  to  gasoline,  No.  1  and  No.  2 
distillate,  kerosene,  and  asphalt. 

Gaviota  Refinery. — Located  at  Gaviota,  on  the  coast,  about  40  miles 
from  Santa  Maria,  for  treating  the  oil  from  the  Santa  Maria  district,  the 
refined  products — gasoline,  No.  1  and  No.  2  distillate,  and  kerosene — 
being  sold  in  nearby  towns.  It  is  connected  by  an  8-in.  pipe  line  with 
the  district,  and  has  a  daily  capacity  of  about  8,000  barrels.  At  present 
the  residuum  is  used  by  the  railroads  as  fuel. 

Amalgamated  Refinery. — This  plant  is  located  near  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles,  for  treating  a  part  of  the  oil  produced  in  the  Salt  Lake  field  and 
Puente  Hills  district.  It  has  an  estimated  capacity  of  5,000  barrels. 

Union  Oil  Co. 

Avila  Refinery. — Located  near  Port  Harford,  the  Pacific  terminal  of 
the  Producers  Transportation  Co.'s  pipe  line.  Here  the  oils  from  the 
Santa  Maria  district  and  a  small  part  of  the  production  from  the  Valley 
fields  are  topped.  The  residuum  is  shipped  in  tank  steamers  with  the 
crude  oil  of  the  Independent  Producers  Agency.  This  refinery  is  con- 
nected with  the  Santa  Maria  district  by  a  6-in.  and  an  8-in.  pipe  line, 
and  has  an  estimated  daily  capacity  of  12,000  barrels. 

Oleum  Refinery. — This  refinery  is  located  on  San  Francisco  bay,  and 
has  an  estimated  daily  capacity  of  18,000  barrels  of  crude 'oil.  Here  the 
oil,  mainly  from  the  Valley  fields,  is  fractioned  into  gasoline,  kerosene 
lubricants,  distillate,  and  asphaltum. 

Bakers  field  Asphalt  Refinery. — Located  between  Bakersfield  and  the 
Kern  River  district  and  having  an  estimated  daily  capacity  of  67  tons  of 
asphaltum. 

Other  Refineries 

There  are  about  15  small,  independent  refineries  and  topping  plants 
near  Los  Angeles,  about  10  near  San  Francisco,  and  others  throughout 
the  oil  fields  of  the  State.  Several  asphalt  and  topping  plants  are  located 
near  Bakersfield,  which  utilize  the  heavy  oil  produced  in  the  Kern  River 
district.  One  or  two  topping  plants  are  also  located  near  Santa  Maria. 

EXPOETS 

The  total  amount  of  crude  oil  exported  from  Pacific  ports  during"  19 12 
was  about  2,300,000  barrels,  or  about  2.66  per  cent,  of  the  total  produc- 
tion of  the  State  during  that  year.  The  greatest  amount,  about  927,000 
barrels,  was  exported  to  Canada;  the  Hawaiian  Islands  were  second  in 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFOENIA   OIL   FIELDS       403 

importance,  with  about  875,000  barrels;  while  about  227,000  barrels  were 
exported  to  Panama  and  utilized  in  the  building  of  the  canal.  Crude  oil 
was  also  exported  to  Alaska,  Guatemala,  Chile,  and  some  other  South 
American  countries,  the  greater  part  of  the  oil  being  shipped  from  San 
Francisco.  These  figures  do  not  take  into  account  the  oil  that  was 
shipped  from  San  Francisco,  Port  Harford  or  Los  Angeles  to  Puget  sound 
and  used  in  American  territory,  nor  any  other  trade  along  the  western 
coast  of  the  United  States.  Practically  air  the  oil  shipped  is  produced 
in  the  Valley  fields,  being  transported  to  San  Francisco  bay  or  to  Port 
Harford.  The  oil  shipped  from  Los  Angeles,  amounting  to  189,000 
barrels,  was  produced  in  the  Coast  fields,  although  at  present  some  of 
the  oil  produced  in  the  Valley  fields,  as  well  as  a  part  of  the  residue  from 
the  El  Segundo  refinery  of  the  Standard,  is  being  piped  by  the  General 
Pipe  Line  Co.  to  Los  Angeles  and  thence  exported.  Of  late,  the  Royal 
Dutch-Shell  Co.  has  brought  some  tank  steamers  loaded  with  gasoline 
from  the  Orient  and  returned  them  with  kerosene  distilled  from  California 
oils.  It  is  very  likely  that  the  activities  of  the  Shell  Co.  will  open  new 
markets  for  the  California  products. 

Exports  of  Oil  and  Oil  Products  from  San  Francisco  and  Port  Harford 

during  October,  1913 

Crude  Gallons 

Hawaii 5,523,000          $94,400 

England 330  10 

5,523,330  $94,410 
Illuminating 

Costa  Rica 1,400  $148 

Guatemala 19,000  1,995 

Honduras, 1,300  140 

Nicaragua 87,302  9,780 

Panama... 2,500  312 

Salvador 7,751  903 

Mexico 2,000  225 

Chile 1,020  107 

Colombia 450  72 

Ecuador 2,000  250 

Peru 3,500  400 

China 2,297,684  103,396 

Dutch  East  Indies 1,606,473  74,451 

Hongkong 2,004,150  90,186 

Japan 8,238,584  370,736 

French  Oceania 2,000  270 

German  Oceania 2,425  354 

Hawaii 49,456  7,606 

American  Samoa 5,092  854 


14,334,087        $662,185 


404       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 


Lubricating 

Canada 3,810  $1,131 

Costa  Rica 363  153 

Guatemala 200  52 

Nicaragua 70  29 

Salvador 1,387  430 

Mexico 867  160 

China 6,506  748 

British  India 12,952  1,105 

Dutch  East  Indies 12,500  1,063 

Hongkong 3,000  240 

Australia 35,833  5,726 

French  Oceania 392  181 

German  Oceania 48  27 

Philippine  Islands 440  100 

Hawaii 16,240  5,357 

American  Samoa 300  120 

94,908  $16,622 

Gasoline 

Costa  Rica 2,510  $495 

Nicaragua 1,785  304 

Salvador 2,283  504 

French  Oceania 11,020  2,132 

Hawaii 139,953  19,679 


157,551          $23,114 


Other  Distillates 


Costa  Rica 

Australia 

French  Oceania. 


5,550 
30,870 
17,737 


54,157 


$659 
2,748 
1,665 


$5,072 


Fuel  Oil 

Canada 5,040,000  $90,000 

Panama 3,780,000  67,500 

Salvador 1,552  38 

Chile ' 6,762,000  120,750 

Australia ? . . . .  1,914  106 

Hawaii 24,348  1,736 


15,609,814         $280,130 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS        405 


Residuum  for  Fuel 

Canada 882,000  $18,270 

Chile 8,199,996  123,869 

Japan 1,763,226  31,481 

French  Oceania 10,920  306 

Alaska 1,680,000  30,000 


12,536,142        $203,926 
Grand  Total,  all  oils 48,309,989     $1,285,459 

The  shipments  of  oil  and  oil  products  to  all  foreign  countries  and  to 
Alaska,  Hawaii  and  the  American  possessions,  during  October,  1913, 
from  the  customs  district  of  San  Francisco,  which  includes  Port  Harford, 
from  which  point  some  of  the  heavy  shipments  to  Spanish- American  ports 
are  made,  totaled  48,309,989  gal.,  with  a  value  of  $1,285,459.  Some  of 
the  Spanish-American  shipments  have  been  transferred  from  Port  Har- 
ford to  Los  Angeles  since  the  completion  of  the  General  Pipe  Line  to  that 
city. 


GEOLOGIC  FOKMATIONS  OF  THE  OIL  DISTRICTS 

Oil  is  found  in  commercial  quantities  at  one  place  or  another  in  Cali- 
fornia in  every  important  geologic  horizon  from  the  Chico  or  upper  Cre- 
taceous to  the  Fernando  or  Pliocene,  and  even  to  the  Quaternary  if  tar 
springs  and  asphaltum  deposits  are  included.  The  principal  formations 
involved  in  the  geology  of  the  oil  fields  in  order  of  age,  beginning  with  the 
oldest,  are:  Jura§sifi_or  pre- Jurassic  crystalline  rocks;  the  Franciscan,  of 
probable  late  Jurassic  age;  the  Knoxville-Chico  rocks,  of  Cretaceous  age; 
theJTejon,  of  Eocene  age;  the  Sespe.  probably  of  Oligocene  age;  the 
Ya^u^^s_and_M.ojiter£y,  of  lower  Miocene  age;  the  Femanda~.or  equiv- 
alent, largely  of  upper  Miocene  and  Pliocene  age;  and  the  Qiialexnacju 
The  commercial  quantities  of  oil  are  confined  chiefly  to  the  Miocene, 
although  important  deposits  are  found  locally  from  the  upper  Cretaceous 
to  the  Pliocene.  The  geologic  column  of  the  southern  California  Coast 
Ranges  is  shown  in  the  accompanying  tabulation.  A  discussion  of  each 
of  the  principal  divisions  of  this  column  follows. 

Basement  Crystalline  Complex. — Under  this  head  are  grouped  the  gran- 
ite, schistose,  and  strongly  metamorphosed  crystalline  rocks  which  go 
to  make  up  the  core  of  many  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  The  granite,  schist, 
and  limestone  included  in  this  series  in  the  Santa  Cruz,  Santa  Lucia,  and 
adjacent  mountains,  may  possibly  be  older  than  the  Jurassic.  The 
granitic  and  crystalline  rocks,  also  included  in  the  same  category,  but 
occurring  in  the  ranges  farther  south,  are  probably  of  Jurassic  age. 


406        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS 


Geologic  Formations 

Tentative  correlation  of  oil-bearing  formations  of  southern  California  with  the 
standard  geologic  section. 


Period 

Sys- 
tem 

Series 

Southern  California  Section 

Estimated 
Thickness 
Feet 

Quaternary 

Recent  Pleis- 
tocene 

Alluvium,   San   Pedro,   Fernando    (in 
i>art) 

1,000 

Pliocene 

Deadman  Island  Fernando  (in  part) 

1  000 

2 
'o 

Upper     Mio- 
cene 

Etchegoin,  Fernando  (in  part),  Jacali- 
tos  (in  part),  McKittrick  (in  part)  .  .  . 

7,000 

I 

Santa  Margarita,  Jacalitos  (in  part), 
McKittrick  (in  part) 

2000 

fe- 

ll 

Lower     Mio- 

Monterey  (Puente,  Modelo)  

7,000 

1 

H 

Vaqueros  (Puente  in  part)  

3,000 

Oligocene 

Sespe.   .  .           

4300 

Tejon  (Topa  Topa)  

5,000 

Martinez 

4000 

§ 

Upper  Creta- 
ceous   

Chico  

6000 

0 

.2 

1 

Lower  Creta- 
ceous       .  .  . 

Knoxville 

7  000 

g 

* 

c^- 

.2 

Franciscan  

12,000 

hi 

0 

f 

0 

? 

8 

Black  schist,  limestone  .  .  . 

? 

c2 

Total.. 

59.300 

Franciscan  or  Jurassic  Metamorphic  Series. — The  Franciscan  forma- 
tion usually  consists  of  glaucophane  and  other  schists,  quartzite,  more  or 
less  altered  sandstone,  and  shale,  the  whole  intruded  by  serpentine  and 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS        407 

igneous  dikes  and  masses.  It  is  one  of  the  most  widespread  formations 
in  the  Coast  Ranges,  occurring  from  the  region  of  Santa  Barbara  at  least 
as  far  north  as  Humboldt  county.  With  the  exception  of  some  unimpor- 
tant traces  of  oil  found  in  beds  believed  to  be  of  Franciscan  age  in  Hum- 
boldt county,  the  formation  is  not  known  to  carry  oil. 

Knoxville-Chico  Cretaceous  Rocks. — The  Knoxville-Chico  series  com- 
prises the  Cretaceous  rocks  of  the  southern  Coast  Ranges,  and  attains  a 
thickness  of  at  least  12,800  ft.,  and  possibly  much  more,  in  the  Coalinga 
district.  The  Cretaceous  rocks  cover  large  areas  in  the  Coalinga, 
McKittrick-Sunset,  and  Santa  Maria  districts,  and  other  extensive  regions 
in  the  Coast  Ranges,  where  they  are  usually  characterized  by  rugged 
topography.  The  lower  or  Knoxville  portion  of  the  series  generally 
consists  of  hard,  dark-colored  shale  and  alternating  thin-bedded,  hard 
sandstones  and  shale.  The  upper  or  Chico  portion  of  the  series  is  made 
up  of  coarse  conglomerate  at  the  base,  coarse  concretionary  sandstone 
above  this,  and  finally,  in  the  Coalinga  district  in  particular,  a  series  of 
purple  organic  shales  which  yield  oil.  The  nodular  or  concretionary 
facies  is  its  most  characteristic  one.  Greenish  oil,  averaging  about  35° 
Baume  (0.8484  sp.  gr.),  and  containing  3  to  4  per  cent,  of  paraffine  wax, 
is  produced  in  commercial  quantities  from  sandstone  layers  in  the  purple 
upper  Chico  shale  in  the  Oil  City  field  of  the  Coalinga  district.  With  the 
exception  of  oil  from  one  or  two  localities  in  Ventura  county,  this  is  the 
only  petroleum  in  the  State  carrying  appreciable  amounts  of  paraffine. 
Traces  of  oil  are  found  in  the  Cretaceous  in  Contra  Costa  county  and 
one  or  two  other  localities  in  the  State. 

Tejon  or  Eocene  Formation.— The  Tejon  or  Eocene  rocks,  like  the  Cre- 
taceous, are  widespread  over  the  southern  Coast  Ranges,  and,  like  the 
Cretaceous,  are  relatively  negligible  as  a  factor  in  the  production  of  oil 
in  California.  Although  the  Tejon  or  Eocene  carries  unmistakable 
evidences  of  petroleum  at  numerous  localities  throughout  the  Coast 
Ranges,  and  although  many  wells  have  been  sunk  to  tap  its  oil  content, 
there  are  at  present  but  few  commercially  productive  wells  in  California 
deriving  their  fluid  from  this  formation.  Oil  in  commercial  quantities 
has  been  obtained  from  the  Tejon  or  Eocene  in  the  Coalinga,  Midway 
(Carrizo  Plains),  Santa  Clara  Valley  (Ventura  county)  districts,  and  in 
Vallecitos,  San  Benito  county.  The  diatomaceous,  or  other  organic 
shales  of  the  Tejon,  are  probably  the  source  of  the  oil  contained  in  it,  and 
in  the  case  of  the  Coalinga  district,  the  Tejon  is  the  principal  ultimate 
source  of  the  great  deposits  of  oil  which  are  found  there  in  the  Vaqueros 
and  other  Miocene  formations.  Although  the  past  development  work 
has  not  yielded  encouraging  results,  it  is  probable  that  the  testing  of 
anticlines  or  other  advantageous  structural  positions  in  the  Tejon  will 
eventually  result  in  successful  wells  from  this  formation. 

Sespe  or  Oligocene  Formation. — The  formation  in  the  geologic  column 


408        GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

of  the  southern  Coast  Ranges  most  nearly  corresponding  to  the  Oligocene 
in  the  world's  geologic  series,  is  one  characterized  by  a  peculiar  reddish- 
brown  and  green  sand,  and  called  the  Sespe,  owing  to  its  important  devel- 
opment on  Sespe  creek  in  Ventura  county.  In  the  Summerland  district, 
where  it  apparently  has  its  maximum  development,  the  formation  reaches 
4,300  ft.  in  thickness.  It  thins  rapidly  toward  the  west,  and  where  last 
distinguished  by  its  peculiar  red  and  green  colors  in  the  western  end  of  the 
Santa  Ynez  Range,  is  but  a  few  hundred  feet  thick.  The  marine  origin 
of  the  Sespe  formation,  unlike  most  all  the  other  members  of  the  West 
Coast  Tertiary,  has  not  been  established;  in  fact,  it  is  believed  by  most 
students  of  geology  to  be  a  non-marine  formation.  The  Sespe  contains, 
so  far  as  is  now  known,  no  fossils  by  which  its  age  can  be  conclusively 
determined,  but  its  stratigraphic  position  relative  to  other  highly  f  ossil- 
iferous  strata  locates  it  definitely  in  the  geologic  column.  It  carries 
commercial  quantities  of  petroleum  at  one  horizon  or  another  in  several 
localities  in  Ventura  county,  the  most  important  of  which,  so  far  proved, 
are  those  of  Sisar  canyon  and  the  Big  and  Little  Sespe  canyons,  where 
it  occurs  near  the  base  of  the  formation,  and  in  the  Bardsdale,  Monte- 
bello,  and  Torrey  Canyon  fields,  where  it  occurs  near  the  top.  The  oil 
occurs  in  alternating  hard  sandstone  and  shales  in  all  portions  of  the  for- 
mation except  the  extreme  top  and  bottom,  where  well-developed  sands 
yield  the  fluid.  The  oil  from  the  Sespe  is  usually  of  an  excellent  quality, 
ranging  in  gravity  from  25°  to  36°  Baume*  (0.9032  to  0.8434  sp.  gr.). 
Much  heavier  oil  occurs  locally,  however,  as  in  certain  wells  in  the  Big 
Sespe  canyon. 

Vaqueros  or  Lower  Miocene  Formation. — The  Vaqueros  or  Lower 
Miocene,  unlike  the  Sespe,  is  of  widespread  distribution,  occurring  in  the 
Coast  Ranges  practically  from  one  end  of  the  State  to  the  other.  From 
the  region  of  San  Francisco  bay  southward,  to  the  southern  end  of  San 
Joaquin  valley  and  the  western  portion  of  the  Santa  Ynez  Range,  the 
Vaqueros  is  characterized  largely  by  sandstones  and  conglomerates. 
South  of  these  limits,  however,  it  usually  consists  of  dark-colored  shales 
with  alternating  thin  sands.  The  formation  is  most  variable  in  thickness, 
changing  from  200  or  300  ft.  to  2,000  or  3,000  ft.  in  relatively  short 
distances.  In  the  Santa  Cruz  mountains  the  maximum  thickness  is 
about  3,000  ft.,  in  the  Coalinga  region  about  700  ft.,  in  the  Sunset- 
McKittrick  from  60  to  1,000  ft.,  and  in  the  region  of  Ventura  county  and 
southward,  from  3,000  to  possibly  5,000  ft.  The  Vaqueros  is  one  of  the 
most  important  oil-bearing  formations  of  California,  being  the  principal 
reservoir  in  the  Coalinga  district,  and  one  of  the  most  important  sources 
in  the  Santa  Maria,  Puente  Hills,  and  Santa  Clara  valley  districts.  In 
addition,  it  is  possible  that  commercially  important  deposits  of  oil  will  be 
found  in  the  Vaqueros  in  scantily  tested  portions  of  the  Coalinga,  Sunset- 
McKittrick,  and  Santa  Clara  valley  districts.  In  the  Coalinga  district 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       409 

the  petroliferous  Vaqueros  beds  are  well-defined  sands  from  30  to  over 
100  ft.  in  thickness  near  the  bottom  of  the  formation,  yielding  oil  varying 
from  11°  to  27°  Baume  (0.9929  to  0.8917  sp.  gr.);  in  the  Santa  Maria 
district  important  deposits  of  24°  to  26°  Baume  (0.9091  to  0.8974  sp.  gr.) 
oil  occur  in  the  alternating  sand,  limestone,  and  shale  beds  in  the  transi- 
tion zone  between  the  top  of  the  Vaqueros  and  the  bottom  of  the  Mont- 
erey; while  in  the  Santa  Clara  valley  and  Puente  Hills  districts  the  oil  is 
of  excellent  quality,  25°  to  35°  Baume"  (0.9032  to  0.8485  sp.  gr.),  and  occurs 
in  alternating  thin-bedded  shales  and  sands  at  various  points  throughout 
the  formation.  In  the  Eureka  wells,  Santa  Clara  valley  district,  the  oil 
is  believed  to  come  from  well-defined  sand  beds  toward  the  base  of  the 
Vaqueros. 

Monterey  or  Lower  Miocene  Formation. — The  Monterey  is  considered 
by  far  the  most  important  formation  in  the  State  as  regards  the  ultimate 
source  of  the  oil,  and  it  is  also  one  of  the  most  important  reservoirs  of 
petroleum.  Like  the  Vaqueros,  with  which  it  is  usually  associated  and 
on  which  it  usually  rests  conformably,  it  has  a  widespread  distribution 
over  the  southern  Coast  Ranges.  It  is  characterized  above  everything 
else  by  its  diatomaceous  composition.  Diatoms  are  microscopic,  aquatic 
plants,  having  the  power  of  locomotion  and  consisting  of  a  shell  or  test 
of  silica  and  an  interior  of  chlorophyl  or  green  matter,  the  same  as  the  cells 
of  ordinary  plants.  It  is  largely  the  accumulation  of  innumerable  millions 
of  the  minute  shells  of  marine  diatoms  which  form  the  shales  of  the 
Monterey.  The  oil  derived  from  it  is  also  believed  to  come  from  the 
hydrocarbon  chlorophyl  of  the  same  organisms.  With  the  exception  of 
the  diatoms  which  form  such  an  important  part  of  the  Monterey,  this 
formation  is  almost  barren  of  fossils.  The  Monterey  attains  its  maximum 
development  in  the  Santa  Maria  and  Sunset-McKittrick  districts,  two 
of  the  most  important  oil  regions  of  the  State.  Here  the  Monterey  shale, 
largely  of  diatomaceous  origin,  attains  a  thickness  of  over  a  mile.  Similar 
conditions,  though  less  pronounced  as  to  thickness  of  strata,  prevail  over 
many  other  parts  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  In  general,  the  shale  is  soft  above 
and  harder,  even  flinty,  toward  the  bottom  of  the  formation,  where  thin, 
hard,  impure  limestone  layers  are  often  interbedded.  It  is  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  Monterey,  in  the  alternating  limestone,  sandstone,  and  flinty 
shale  layers,  that  the  commercial  deposits  of  oil  in  the  main  Santa  Maria 
and  Lompoc  fields  occur. 

The  Monterey  formation,  or  its  equivalent,  carries  commercially 
important  deposits  of  oil  in  the  main  or  Orcutt  field  and  the  Lompoc  field 
in  the  Santa  Maria  district.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  in  the  former  varies 
from  18°  to  27°  Baum6  (0.9459  to  0.8917  sp.  gr.) ;  in  the  latter  from  12° 
to  35°  Baume"  (0.9859  to  0.8485  sp.  gr.).  In  these  fields  the  oil  occurs 
in  the  interbedded  sands  or  in  the  interstices  and  crevices  in  the  fractured 
flinty  shale  and  hard  limestone.  In  the  Modelo  Canyon  region  of  the 


dlO       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Santa  Clara  Valley  district  the  oil,  which  is  of  excellent  quality,  varying 
from  14°  to  32°  Baume  (0.9722  to  0.8642  sp.  gr.),  occurs  in  coarse  sands 
interstratified  with  the  Modelo  (equals  Monterey)  shales.  At  other 
localities  the  oil  occurs  in  crevices  and  joint  planes  throughout  a  consider- 
able extent  of  the  formation,  though  such  deposits  are  almost  always  of 
little  value  commercially,  owing  to  the  uncertainty  of  striking  impreg- 
nated zones,  and  the  low  available  saturation  of  these  zones  when  encoun- 
tered. The  Monterey  or  transition  Monterey-Fernando  yields  important 
quantities  of  oil  in  the  fields  south  of  Sulphur  mountain,  Santa  Clara 
Valley  district,  and  in  the  Whittier,  Brea  Canyon,  and  Fullerton  fields, 
Puente  Hills  district. 

Fernando  or  Miocene-Pliocene  Formation. — After  the  deposition  of  the 
Monterey  formation  in  what  is  now  the  Coast  Ranges  of  California,  came 
a  marked  period  of  disturbance  resulting  in  the  elevation  and  erosion 
of  the  Monterey  and  older  formations.  This  was  followed  by  a  general 
subsidence.  The  formations  laid  down  following  this  post-Monterey 
subsidence  are  usually  conformable  with  each  other  (including  everything 
older  than  the  later  Quaternary  beds)  and  for  this  reason  they  have  been 
grouped  together  under  the  name  Fernando  in  the  Coast  Counties  dis- 
tricts. The  Fernando  and  its  equivalent  post-Monterey  formations  con- 
tain the  most  important  oil  reservoirs  in  the  State,  this  important  fact 
being  due  in  great  measure  to  the  unconf ormable  position  which  they  hold 
to  the  underlying  Monterey  shale  which  is  the  ultimate  source  of  the  oil 
over  so  much  of  the  State.  More  strictly  speaking,  one  should  say  that 
the  basal  portion  of  the  Fernando  is  the  important  part,  as  the  upper  por- 
tion and  its  equivalents  are  not  commercially  oil-bearing  so  far  as  known. 
In  general,  the  Fernando  sediments  consist  of  more  or  less  incoherent 
conglomerates  and  sands,  clayey  shales,  and  soft  clays.  The  Fernando 
and  its  equivalents  are  thick,  aggregating  from  3,000  to  10,000  ft.  in 
each  of  the  various  sections.  Among  the  fields  which  obtain  their  oil 
from  the  Fernando  or  its  equivalents  are  the  Kern  River,  Sunset,  Midway, 
McKittrick,  Belridge,  and  Lost  Hills  (all  from  the  McKittrick  forma- 
tion) ;  San  Emidio,  a  prospective  district  20  miles  south  of  Bakersfield 
(oil  sands  in  Santa  Margarita  (?)  formation);  Arroyo  Grande  and  Cat 
Canyon  fields  in  the  Santa  Maria  district;  the  Summerland  district  (main 
productive  area);  the  Elsmere  Canyon  field,  the  field  south  of  Sulphur 
mountain,  the  field  east  of  Santa  Paula  creek,  all  in  the  Santa  Clara  Valley 
district;  the  Salt  Lake  and  Western  fields,  and  certain  portions  of  the  cen- 
tral and  eastern  fields  in  the  Los  Angeles  district;  and  the  Whittier,  La 
Habra,  Coyote  Hills,  Brea  Canyon,  and  portions  of  the  Olinda  (Fullerton) 
fields  of  the  Puente  Hills  district.  With  the  exception  of  certain  localities 
in  the  Sunset,  Midway,  Belridge,  Lost  Hills,  and  some  Santa  Clara  Valley 
fields,  the  oil  produced  by  the  Fernando  is  of  the  fuel  type,  varying  from 
11°  to  19°  Baum6  (0.9929  to  0.9396  sp.  gr.).  The  first  four  mentioned 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA  OIL   FIELDS        411 

exceptions  yield  oil  only  up  to  27°  Baume"  (0.8917  sp.  gr.),  while  the  light 
oils  classified  as  from  the  Fernando  in  the  fields  south  of  Sulphur  mountain 
and  east  of  Santa  Paula  creek,  Santa  Clara  Valley  district,  are  from  beds 
probably  transitional  Monterey-Fernando.  Large  deposits  of  asphaltum, 
the  residuum  from  oil  escaping  into  the  Fernando  from  the  Monterey 
formation,  occur  near  Arroyo  Grande,  Sisquoc,  Graciosa  Ridge,  and  south 
of  Guadalupe  in  the  Santa  Maria  district. 

San  Pedro  or  Quaternary  Formation.— Although  not  yielding  fluid  oil 
in  commercial  quantities,  this,  the  latest  of  the  California  formations,  is 
important  from  an  oil  standpoint,  as  it  is  the  source  of  commercial  de- 
posits of  asphalt,  the  residuum  of  the  oil.  The  Quaternary  deposits 
usually  unconformably  overlie  the  upturned  edges  of  the  older  formations 
on  the  terraces  or  benches  along  the  coast  and  important  water  channels. 
The  deposits  are  almost  always  more  or  less  incoherent,  generally  gravelly 
or  sandy,  and  are  seldom  over  30  to  100  ft.  thick.  Deposits  of  Quaternary 
age  in  the  Los  Angeles  basin  and  in  parts  of  Ventura  county  are,  however, 
at  least  1,000  ft.  thick.  The  formation  is  often  rich  in  fossils,  most  of 
which  are  of  species  still  living  on  the  Pacific  coast,  although  in  general 
of  a  type  found  in  the  fauna  of  Lower  California,  thus  indicating  warmer 
water  conditions  for  the  California  coast  during  the  Quaternary.  The 
asphaltum  deposits  and  similar  indications  of  petroleum  are  found,  among 
others,  at  the  following  localities:  Graciosa  ridge  and  Purisima  ridge, 
Santa  Maria  district;  Santa  Barbara  and  westward  along  the  coast  for 
20  or  30  miles;  Summerland  and  Carpenteria,  Summerland  district; 
Rincon  creek  and  southward,  Ventura  county;  and  Newport,  Orange 
county.  In  the  McKittrick  district;  Sisar  Canyon  and  Sulphur  Mountain 
fields,  Santa  Clara  Valley  district;  Salt  Lake  field,  Los  Angeles  district; 
and  Brea  Canyon  and  Olinda  fields,  Puente  Hills  district,  deposits  of 
asphalt  of  Quaternary  age  are  found  associated  with  oil  sands  and  oil  seep- 
ages of  the  older  oil-bearing  formations.  The  deposit  on  the  Rancho  la 
Brea,  in  the  Salt  Lake  field,  near  Los  Angeles,  is  noted  as  containing  one 
of  the  most  important  faunas  of  extinct  Quaternary  vertebrate  animals 
in  the  world.  This  fauna  includes  mastodons,  elephants,  lions,  saber- 
toothed  tigers,  sloths,  camels,  buffaloes,  hyenas,\  foxes,  wolves,  bears, 
horses,  and  birds  and  insects,  all  of  which  were  caught  in  this  great  oil  or 
tar  spring  in  past  ages. 

RELATION  OF  GEOLOGIC  STRUCTURE  TO  OIL  DEPOSITS 

Commercial  quantities  of  petroleum  occur  in  practically  every  form 
of  geologic  structure  known  to  the  Coast  Ranges  at  one  place  or  another 
in  the  California  oil  fields.  When  it  is  remembered  that  the  Coast 
Ranges  of  this  State  afford  some  most  involved  folds  and  faults,  compli- 
cated by  igneous  intrusions,  the  significance  of  this  statement' is  apparent. 


412       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Oil  in  Anticlines,  Monoclines,  and  Fault  Zones. — Among  the  types  of 
accumulation  are  those  found  in  both  broadly  or  sharply  folded  anticlines 
(Figs.  11  and  13),  lying  in  normal,  asymmetric,  and  overturned  positions; 
in  low-  and  steep-dipping  and  shouldered  or  terraced  monoclines;  in 
fault  zones;  and  finally,  in  blocks  having  little  definite  structure.  The 
quantity  and  quality  of  the  oil  are  usually  affected  by  its  relative  position 
in  these  structures,  although  in  some  instances  these  characteristics 
remain  practically  uniform  over  adjacent  structures. 

In  general,  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  fields  are  developed  on  monoclines 
(Fig.  2),  while  anticlines  and  fault  zones  are  more  potent  in  the  fields  of 
the  coast  counties.  In  most  localities  the  structure  is  well  exposed  at 
the  surface,  but  in  the  Salt  Lake  field  of  the  Los  Angeles  district,  and  in 
one  or  two  other  regions,  the  structure  of  the  oil-bearing  formation  is 
entirely  blanketed  by  the  Quaternary  deposits.  It  is  common  to  find 
the  structure  reflected  in  the  topography,  the  anticlinal  axes,  as  a  rule, 
following  the  crests  of  hills  while  the  more  profound  valleys  occupy  the 
basins  of  synclines.  In  the  case  of  asymmetric  anticlines  and  synclines 
the  most  important  deposits  are  ordinarily  found  on  the  lowest-dipping 
flank,  as  evidenced,  among  other  occurrences,  by  the  Coalinga  anticline 
in  the  Eastside  Coalinga  field.  An  exception  to  the  rule  is  found  in  the 
steep-dipping  north  flank  of  the  Mount  Solomon  anticline  of  the  Santa 
Maria  field,  which  yielded  more  important  wells  than  the  lower-dipping 
south  flank. 

Oil  in  Synclines. — Where  no  water  is  present  in  the  oil  sands  and 
where  the  axes  of  the  anticlines  are  not  fractured,  there  is  more  of  a  tend- 
ency for  the  oil  to  collect  in  synclines  than  in  anticlines.  Examples  of 
commercial  deposits  in  synclines  are  the  very  important  deposits  in  the 
Midway  Valley  syncline,  and  the  equally  important  ones  occurring  in  the 
Coalinga  syncline  between  the  north  end  of  the  Westside  field  and  the 
Eastside  field  at  Coalinga.  Far  down  on  the  plunge  of  both  these  syn- 
clines it  is  predicted  that  water  will  probably  be  found. 

Reservoir  for  Oil. — Practically  all  of  the  wells  in  California  secure 
their  oil  from  porous  marine  sedimentary  sandstones  (Fig.  2).  In  rare 
instances,  notably  in  the  Santa  Maria  district,  a  portion  of  the  oil  proba- 
bly comes  from  the  cracks  and  interstices  in  fractured  hard  flinty  shales, 
or  from  pores  in  the  softer  shales.  The  character  of  the  sandstone 
reservoir  has  a  most  marked  effect  upon  the  accumulation,  migration, 
retention,  and  quality  of  the  oil;  the  coarser  the  sandstone  or  conglomerate 
the  less  will  be  its  normal  capacity  and  the  easier  the  migration  of  the 
oil  through  it,  and  consequently  the  quicker  will  it  be  drained  of  its  con- 
tents. Conversely,  very  fine  sandstones  and  unfractured  shale  are  slow 
but  persistent  producers.  Again,  other  things  being  equal,  the  oil  in 
fine  sandstones  is  frequently  of  lighter  quality  than  that  found  in  adjacent 
coarser  beds.  Hard,  coherent  sandstones  generally  offer  fewer  difficulties 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       413 

in  drilling  and  cause  less  trouble  in  the  operation  of  wells  than  soft  or 
incoherent  sands,  which  often  accompany  the  oil  from  the  well  and  plug 
or  "  sand-up "  the  hole.  On  the  other  hand,  where  a  well  which  taps  a 
soft  sand  is  enabled  through  excessive  gas  pressure  to  clean  itself  out 
during  its  initial  or  "flush"  flow,  the  production  usually  stands  up  well 
owing  to  the  favorable  conditions  produced  at  the  bottom  of  the  hole, 
where  the  "blow-out"  sand  leaves  an  ideal  collecting  reservoir  for  the  oil. 
The  famous  Lake  View  gusher  and  most  of  the  other  large  producers  of 
the  Midway,  Sunset,  and  Coalinga  districts  might  be  cited  as  examples  of 
this  kind.  A  soft  sand,  however,  is  not  prerequisite  for  great  production, 
even  when  the  oil  occurs  in  sands,  as  is  evidenced  by  certain  of  the  large 
wells  of  the  Eastside  Coalinga  field  and  several  wells  in  the  Olinda  and 
Brea  Canyon  fields  of  the  Puente  Hills  district.  Obviously,  the  thickness 
of  the  oil  sand  or  reservoir  has  an  important  influence  not  only  on  the  daily 
production  but  on  the  life  of  any  well.  The  thicker  the  sand,  other  things 
being  equal,  the  longer  the  life  of  the  well.  This  fact  accounts  for  the 
great  staying  quality  of  parts  of  the  Kern  River,  Coalinga,  Santa  Maria, 
Puente  Hills,  and  Santa  Clara  valley  districts.  Thin  sands,  such  as 
encountered  in  certain  areas  of  the  Midway  and  Sunset  districts,  though 
initially  most  prolific,  fall  off  with  alarming  rapidity  after  the  first  few 
weeks  or  months  of  production. 

Capping  of  the  Reservoir. — In  practically  every  field  in  California  the 
cap-rock  or  formation  immediately  overlying  the  oil  reservoir  consists 
of  a  hard  blue  or  brown  shale  or  clay  or  hard  shell.  In  rare  instances, 
such  as  the  McKittrick  district,  and  in  the  Los  Angeles  field  and  else- 
where, beds  brought  into  position  by  horizontal  or  oblique  faulting  have 
acted  as  efficient  barriers  to  the  escape  of  the  oil.  Again,  in  fields  where 
the  oil  occurs  in  monoclines  with  the  edges  of  ^he  oil  sands  exposed,  the 
hydrocarbons  are  imprisoned  by  the  residual  oil  or  asphaltum  remaining 
in  the  oil  sand  near  the  surface  after  the  escape  of  the  more  volatile  con- 
stituents. Marked  instances  of  this  are  to  be  found  in  the  Whittier  field, 
and  in  the  southeastern  end  of  the  McKittrick  field,  where  vertical  oil- 
bearing  beds  carrying  commercial  quantities  of  oil  at  depths  are  sealed 
at  the  top  by  asphaltum.  The  same  beds  or  barriers  which  prevent  the 
escape  of  the  oils  and  gases  usually  prevent  the  downward  migration  of 
water  and  the  dissipation  of  the  former  by  the  latter. 

Relation  of  Water  to  Oil. — The  oil  in  the  California  fields,  as  in  most 
others  throughout  the  world,  occurs  in  inclined  or  sloping  beds  of  porous 
sand,  and  these  oil  sands  are^sually  overlain  and  underlain  by  water 
sands,  which  are  separated  from  the  oil  sands  by  impervious  clay,  shale, 
or  other  strata.  In  these  two  cases  the  oil  is  extraneous  to  the  oil  sands. 
These  waters  are  called  "top"  and  "bottom"  waters,  in  accordance  with 
their  occurrence,  respectively,  above  or  below  the  oil  sands.  In  a  properly 
finished  well  the  "top"  water  is  cased  off  or  cemented  off  before  the  well 


414       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

is  drilled  into  the  oil  sand.  The  " bottom"  water  is  never  drilled  into 
except  by  accident,  in  which  event  it  is  plugged  off.  With  the  "top" 
water  shut  off  and  the  "bottom"  water  untouched,  the  oil  is  produced 
practically  free  from  water.  Water,  being  heavier  than  oil  and  often 
also  under  a  greater  hydrostatic  pressure,  will  replace  part  or  all  of  the  oil 
at  the  point  of  ingress  into  the  well  if  it  is  allowed  to  reach  the  oil  sand. 
In  this  way  it  replaces  the  oil,  in  whole  or  in  part,  and  thus  lessens  the 
amount  of  oil  produced.  Water  also  occurs  indigenous  to  the  oil  sands  in 
certain  fields,  but  in  this  case  it  does  not  occupy  the  same  part  of  the 
stratum  as  that  occupied  by  the  oil,  but  lies  in  the  lower  or  "  down-slope" 
portion  of  the  sand,  and  the  line  marking  the  junction  of  the  oil  in  the 
"up-slope"  part  of  the  bed  and  the  water  in  the  "down-slope"  part 
determines  the  limits  of  the  productive  territory.  The  water  under  these 
conditions  is  called  "  edge"  water.  Upon  exhaustion  of  the  oil  by  flowing 
or  pumping,  the  "edge"  water,  through  hydrostatic  pressure,  usually 
"follows  up"  and  replaces  the  oil.  The  appearance  of  the  originally 
extraneous  "top"  water  or  "bottom"  water  in  a  well  indicates  a  failure 
to  properly  exclude  the  water  by  the  manipulation  of  casing,  cement,  or 
plugs.  Such  a  condition  usually  can  be  remedied  and  the  offending  fluid 
kept  out  of  the  oil  sand,  although  what  has  already  come  in  may  sometimes 
remain  in  the  oil  to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent.  The  appearance  of  "  edge  " 
water  in  a  well  is  another  matter,  for  here  the  oil  has  been  permanently 
replaced  by  the  water,  and  so  far  as  the  affected  sand  is  concerned,  the 
well  can  be  considered  as  no  longer  productive.  " Edge"  water  some- 
times appears  in  a  well  in  some  particular  sand,  while  other  producing 
sands  are  free  from  water.  In  this  instance  the  "edge"  water  sand  is 
abandoned  and  cased  off,  and  the  production  continued  from  the  other 
sands. 

In  connection  with  the  probable  effect  of  water  on  oil  production,  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  production  of  the  Kern  River  field,  one 
of  the  oldest  in  the  State,  is  holding  up  remarkably  well,  although  it  is 
affected  by  a  complication  of  "top,"  "bottom,"  and  "edge"  waters. 

Probably  95  per  cent,  of  the  water  troubles  in  the  various  fields  of 
California  is  caused  by  "  top"  waters  which  were  not  shut  out  of  the  wells 
during  the  drilling  process  or  have  broken  into  the  wells  since  they  were 
finished  owing  to  faulty  manipulation  or  the  corroding  of  the  water  string 
of  casing.  This  being  the  case,  many  of  these  troubles  are  remediable. 
The  question  of  handling  the  water  is  among  the  most  important  con- 
fronting the  California  operators  to-day. 

Origin  of  the  Oil. — The  oils  of  the  California  fields  are  believed  to  have 
been  derived  largely  from  the  organic  shales  which  are  associated  with  the 
oil-bearing  beds  in  all  of  the  fields  of  the  State.  It  is  believed  that  the 
oil  originated  from  the  organic  matter,  both  vegetable  and  animal,  once 
contained  in  these  beds.  Probably  the  principal  source  of  the  oil  has  been 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OP   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS        415 

the  diatomaceous  deposits,  which  make  up  a  large  percentage  of  the  Tejon 
or  Eocene  formation  in  the  Coalinga  district,  and  the  Monterey  or  lower 
Miocene  formation  throughout  the  balance  of  the  districts.  Other 
organisms  that  may  also  be  the  source  of  some  of  the  oil  are  plants, 
foraminifera,  bryozoa,  and  possibly  mollusca  and  fish.  A  great  deal  of 
evidence  can  be  advanced  favoring  the  organic  origin  of  the  oil  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  enough  demonstrating  the  impossibility  of  its  inorganic  origin 
locally  to  practically  prove  the  former  theory  by  the  process  of  elimination. 


SAN  JOAQUIN  VALLEY  DISTRICTS 

COALINGA  DISTRICT 

This  district  is  the  northernmost  of  the  important  fields  of  California, 
comprising  a  strip  of  land  about  50  miles  in  length  by  15  miles  in  width 


FIG.  2. — COALINGA  DISTRICT. 

Outcrop  of  the  main  oil  sand  of  the  Eastside  field,  showing  the  unconformity 
between  the  underlying  steep-dipping  shales  and  the  overlying  porous  pebbly  sand  and 
conglomerate.  This  sand  is  very  prolific  a  mile  or  so  down  the  dip  from  the  outcrop. 

along  the  eastern  base  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  .  The  region  is  about  55 
miles  in  a  straight  line  from  the  Pacific  ocean,  170  miles  southeast  of 
San  Francisco,  and  200  miles  northwest  of  Los  Angeles.  The  area  of  the 
entire  district  includes  about  750  square  miles,  but  the  proved  oil-bearing 


416        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

territory  only  embraces  about  35  square  miles,  or  22,400  acres.  It  is  now 
the  second  district  in  importance  in  the  United  States,  and  the  most  regu- 
lar and  best  understood  as  regards  geologic  formations  of  the  principal 
districts  of  California.  It  is  accessible  by  a  branch  line  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  railroad  which  connects  with  the  main  San  Joaquin  Valley  lines 
of  this  road  and  with  that  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe*  railroad. 
The  pipe  lines  of  the  Associated  Transportation  and  Standard  Oil 
companies  connect  the  field  with  San  Francisco.  Another  Associated  line 
runs  to  Monterey,  and  the  Producers  Transportation  Co.'s  line  connects 


FIG.  3. — COALINGA  DISTRICT. 

Derrick  Avenue  in  Westside  field,  which  is  seven  miles  long  and  flanked  on  both  sides 
for  the  entire  distance  by  producing  wells. 

the  field  with  Port  Harford.  Coalinga,  the  principal  source  of  supplies,  is 
located  in  Pleasant  valley,  in  the  north  end  of  the  district,  and  has  a 
population  of  about  4,500  people.  The  main  part  of  the  Coalinga 
district  is  separated  into  -the  Eastside,  Westside,  and  Oil  City  fields. 
With  the  exception  of  a  little  oil  from  the  Oil  City  and  Eastside  fields, 
which  carries  material  percentages  of  parafnne,  all  of  the  oil  in  this  district 
is  of  asphalt  base.  The  wells  in  this  district  vary  in  depth  from  300  to 
4,700  ft.,  the  daily  production  per  well  ranges  from  4  to  3,000  barrels, 
and  the  product  varies  in  gravity  from  12.4°  to  34.5°  Baume"  (0.9833  to 
0.8519  sp.  gr.). 

Oil  City  Field. — This  field  lies  on  the  crest  of  the  Coalinga  anticline 
atlthe  north  end  of  the  district  and  obtains  its  product  from  sands  in  the 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY  OP   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS        417 

upper  Chico  or  Cretaceous  formation.  The  wells  vary  in  depth  from  300 
to  1,700  ft.,  penetrate  from  one  to  three  oil  sands  with  a  total  thickness 
of  30  to  95  ft.,  and  yield  from  4  to  250  barrels  of  oil  each  per  day.  The  oil 
is  greenish  in  color,  35.5°  to  34.5°  Baume"  gravity  (0.8570  to  0.8519  sp.  gr.), 
is  characterized  by  the  presence  within  it  of  3  to  4  per  cent,  of  paraffine 
wax,  and  is  well  suited  for  refining.  The  first  successful  work  in  Coalinga 
took  place  in  the  Oil  City  field  about  1890,  shallow  wells  obtaining  a  flow 
of  about  10  barrels  for  a  few  days  from  the  Chico  shale.  Desultory 
prospecting  was  carried  on  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1895  two  wells 
were  drilled  which  yielded  between  15  and  20  barrels  of  34°  Baume  (0.8536 
sp.  gr.)  oil  per  day.  The  development  of  the  Oil  City  field  became  more 
systematic,  and  during  1896  and  1897  its  commercial  productivity  was 
completely  proved. 

Eastside  Field. — The  Eastside  field  lies  on  the  crest  and  east  flank  of 
the  Coalinga  anticline  and  forms  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  Coalinga 
district.  It  obtains  its  product  from  sands  of  Vanqueros  or  lower  Miocene 
age  (Fig.  2).  The  wells  range  in  depth  from  700  to  4,700  ft.,  penetrate 
from  two  to  six  oil  sands  with  a  total  thickness  varying  from  40  to  250  ft., 
and  yield  from  !30  to  3,000  barrels  of  oil  each  daily.  The  oil  varies  from 
greenish  to  black  in  color,  is  of  17.6°  to  30.7°  Baum6  gravity  (0.9493  to 
0.8718  sp.  gr.),  and  is  useful  for  refining  or  topping.  The  development  of 
the  Eastside  field  began  in  1900  with  the  drilling  operations  of  the  Inde- 
pendence, Oil  City  Petroleum,  Twenty-Eighth,  Caribou,  and  other  com- 
panies. The  California  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  now  owns  most  of  the  Eastside 
field. 

W estside  Field.— The  Westside  field  lies  on  the  western  flank  (Fig.  3) 
of  the  great  Coalinga  syncline  in  the  western  part  of  the  Coalinga  district, 
and  obtains  its  product  from  the  Vaqueros  (lower  Miocene),  Santa 
Margarita  (?),  and  Jacalitos  (upper  Miocene).  The  wells  range  in  depth 
from  500  to  3,300  ft.,  penetrate  from  two  to  ten  oil  sands  with  a  total 
thickness  of  25  to  200  ft.,  and  yield  from  10  to  2,500  barrels  of  oil  each 
daily.  The  oil  is  black  in  color,  12.4°  to  20°  Baume  gravity  (0.9833  to 
0.9341  sp.  gr.),  and  is  used  principally  for  fuel.  Oil  of  22°  to  28°  Baume* 
gravity  (0.9210  to  0.8860  sp.  gr.),  well  suited  for  refining,  is  obtained  in 
small  quantities  in  the  extreme  southern  end  of  this  field.  Successful 
development  work  was  begun  in  the  northern  end  of  the  Westside  field 
in  1901,  and  by  the  fall  of  1906  the  present  limits  of  the  field  had  been 
practically  ascertained. 

Prospective  Fields. — Test  wells  have  been  put  down  at  many  points  in 
the  Coalinga  district,  outside  the  proved  area,  some  obtaining  oil,  but 
none  being  commercially  successful.  Among  the  prospective  fields  partly 
tested  are  the  Kettleman  Hills,  Kreyenhagen  Hills,  and  Jacalitos 
Canyon. 


418        GEOLOGY   AND  TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL    FIELDS 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  Coalinga  district,  in  the 
order  of  their  age  beginning  with  the  oldest,  are:  the  Knoxville-Chico 
(Cretaceous);  the  Tejon  (Eocene);  the  Vaqueros  (lower  Miocene);  and 
the  Santa  Margarita,  Jacalitos,  and  Etchegoin  (all  upper  Miocene). 

The  Knoxville-Chico  rocks  consist  of  12,800  ft.  or  more  of  sandstone 
and  shale  and  form  the  basement  on  which  most  of  the  oil-producing  and 
oil-bearing  beds  lie.  An  oil-bearing  sand  zone,  yielding  commercial 
quantities  of  oil  locally,  occurs  in  the  purple  shale  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
Chico  in  the  vicinity  of  Oil  City. 

The  Tejon  consists  largely  of  diatomaceous  shales  and  is  believed  to  be 
the  source  of  most  of  the  oil  in  this  district.  It  has  a  thickness  of  at  least 
1,850  ft.  on  the  flanks  of  Joaquin  ridge,  and  consists  of  a  lower  sandy  and 
clayey  member  of  850  ft.  and  an  upper  organic  shale  member  at  least 
1,000  ft.  thick.  So  far  only  small  quantities  of  oil  have  been  found  in  this 
formation  in  the  Coalinga  district,  this  oil  being  reported  rich  in  paraffine. 

The  Vaqueros  rests  in  an  unconformable  position  on  the  Tejon  and 
underlying  formations  (Fig.  2),  and  varies  in  thickness  from  100  ft.  in 
the  Westside  field  to  about  700  ft.  in  the  Eastside  field.  The  Vaqueros 
is  the  productive  formation  for  the  Eastside  field  and  the  deeper  wells  in 
the  Westside  field. 

The  Santa  Margarita  formation  consists  of  a  series  of  sands  and  clays 
with  an  estimated  thickness  between  800  and  1,000  ft.  in  the  region  of 
the  oil  fields  proper,  and  is  characterized  in  the  Eastside  field  by  a  per- 
sistent bed  of  fine  sand  and  clay  about  300  ft.  thick,  locally  called,  on 
account  of  its  peculiar  color,  the  "Big  Blue,"  which  forms  an  effective 
cap-rock  over  the  Vaqueros  oil  zone. 

The  formations  above  the  Santa  Margarita,  and  named  in  order  up- 
ward the  Jacalitos,  Etchegoin,  and  Tulare  (Miocene-Pliocene),  consist 
of  clay,  sand,  and  gravel,  and  are  important  as  affording  a  covering  for 
the  oil-bearing  beds  below  and  as  carrying  water  and  tar  sands  in  places. 
The  Jacalitos  and  Etchegoin  formations  are  of  upper  Miocene  age  and 
marine  origin;  the  Tulare  formation  is  of  Pliocene  age  and  fresh- water 
origin. 

Structure 

All  of  the  formations  mentioned  are  affected  in  the  Coalinga  district 
by  the  great  eastward-dipping  monocline  which  marks  the  transition 
between  the  Coast  Ranges  and  the  valley.  Subsidiary  folds  are  devel- 
oped in  this  monocline,  the  most  important  one  being  the  Coalinga  anti- 
cline, on  which  the  Oil  City  and  Eastside  fields  are  situated.  The  West- 
side  field  covers  a  strip  of  land  about  1  mile  wide  and  8  to  9  miles  long 


GEOLOGY    AND    TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFOKNIA    OIL   FIELDS        419 

following  the  strike  of  the  monocline.  The  northern  parts  of  the  West- 
side  and  Eastside  fields  are  connected,  being  separated  on  the  south  by 
the  intervening  Coalinga  syncline  resulting  from  the  folds  just  described. 
The  structural  conditions  affecting  the  entire  district  are  very  uniform, 
which  makes  it  easy  to  predict  with  some  degree  of  accuracy  the  depth 
at  which  the  different  oil  sands  will  be  reached. 


Development 

The  well  development  in  the  Coalinga  district  is  summarized  in  the 
following  table,  which  indicates  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years: 

Well  Development  in  the  Coalinga  District  from  1909  to  1913,  Inclusive 


Producing  Dec.  31 

1909  644 

1910  794 

1911  956 

1912  1042 

1913  911° 

0  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 


Abandoned  During 
Year 

6 
11 
30 
56 


Completed  During 
Year 

88 
148 
192 
142 


The  wells  range  in  depth  from  300  ft.  in  the  Oil  City  field  to  over 
4,700  ft.  on  the  crest  of  the  plunging  Coalinga  anticline  on  the  southern 
limit  of  the  Eastside  field.  The  number  of  oil  sands  varies  from  one  to 
as  many  as  ten,  their  combined  estimated  thickness  being  between  30  and 
400  Jt. 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  the  Coalinga  dis- 
trict from  beginning  to  date: 


Year 

1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 


Yearly  Production  of  Coalinga  District 

Production 
Barrels 


14,119 

70,140 

154,000 

439,372 

532,000 

780,650 

572,498 

2,138,058 

5,114,958 


Year 

1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 


Production 
Barrels 

10,967,015 

7,991,039 

8,871,723 

10,386,168 

14,795,459 

18,387,750 

18,483,751 

19,911,820 

119,610,520 


The  following  table  gives  in  a  condensed  form  the  chemical  and  phys- 
ical characteristics  of  the  Coalinga  oil. 


420        GEOLOGY   AND    TECHNOLOGY    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS 


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GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        421 

From  the  foregoing  tables  it  will  be  noted  that  the  oil  from  the  Oil  City 
wells  is  characterized  by  the  presence  of  a  small  percentage  of  paraffine 
wax,  something  practically  unheard  of  in  the  California  fields  except  in 
isolated  cases  in  Ventura  county  where  traces  of  paraffine  occur  in  certain 
wells.  The  Oil  City  oil  is  the  highest  grade  oil  occurring  in  commercial 
quantities  in  the  Coalinga  district,  being  excellent  for  refining  purposes. 
The  great  bulk  of  oil  from  the  Eastside  field  is  also  used  for  refining,  or, 
more  properly  speaking,  for  topping,  while  the  Westside  oil  is  practically 
all  of  a  fuel  quality.  The  oil  from  wells  in  Section  6,  west  of  Coalinga,  is 
used  for  refining,  but  this  excellent  quality  is  very  limited  in  amount. 

LOST  HILLS  DISTRICT 

The  Lost  Hills  district  is  situated  about  50  miles  southeast  of  Coalinga 
in  the  San  Joaquin  valley  in  Kern  county.  It  is  the  newest  of  the  produc- 
tive fields,  the  first  well  having  been  drilled  in  July,  1909.  The  developed 
territory  extends  from  Sec.  13,  T.  26  S.,  R.  20  E.',  to  Sec.  9,  T.  2t  S., 
R.  19  E.,  along  va  narrow  strip  about  6  miles  long  and  from  1,000  to  2,000 
ft.  wide.  The  district  is  reached  from  Wasco  station  on  the  Santa  Fe 
railroad,  and  McKittrick  on  the  Southern  Pacific  railroad,  the  base  of 
supplies  being  the  town  of  Wasco,  which  is  connected  with  the  field  by 
good  wagon  roads.  Branch  pipe  lines  of  the  Producers  Transportation, 
Associated  Oil,  and  Standard  Oil  companies  connect  the  district  with 
tidewater  at  Port  Harford  and  San  Francisco. 

The  wells  range  in  depth  from  500  to  over  2,000  ft.  The  oil  is  of  asphalt 
base,  with  an  average  gravity  of  28°  Baume  (0.8861  sp.  gr.),  and  is  utilized 
largely  for  refining.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  in  the  north  end  of  the  field, 
where  the  product  comes  from  the  Jacalitos  formation,  is  about  18°  Baume 
(0.9459  sp.  gr.),  while  that  of  the  oil  from  the  south  end,  where  the  product 
comes  from  the  Santa  Margarita  formation,  averages  between  30°  and  40° 
Baume"  (0.8750  and  0.8235  sp.  gr.). 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  Lost  Hills  district,  in 
the  order  of  their  age  beginning  with  the  oldest,  are:  the  marine  Santa 
Margarita,  Jacalitos,  and  Etchegoin  of  upper  Miocene  age,  and  the 
Tulare,  a  fresh-water  formation  of  Pliocene  age. 

The  Santa  Margarita  consists  of  a  series  of  diatomaceous  shales  from 
2,000  to  3,000  ft.  thick,  the  entire  series  being  interbedded  with  fine 
sandstone  and  sandy  shales.  It  is  believed  to  be  the  parent  formation 
of  the  oil  in  this  district,  and  the  sandy  members  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
formation  also  act  as  a  reservoir  for  the  oil  toward  the  southern  part. 

Unconformably   overlying   the  Santa  Margarita  is  a  series  of  blue 


422       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

clay  shales  interbedded  with  bluish  sands  having  a  total  thickness  in  this 
district  of  over  3,000  ft.,  the  whole  believed  to  be  the  equivalent  of  the 
Jacalitos  and  Etchegoin  formations  so  well  developed  in  the  Coalinga 
district  to  the  north.  The  Jacalitos  shales  form  an  impervious  cover  to 
the  underlying  oil  reservoirs,  and  where  the  Santa  Margarita  is  eroded 
and  the  oil  is  allowed  passage  along  the  crest  of  the  anticlinal  fold,  the 
sands  at  the  base  of  the  Jacalitos  become  the  oil  reservoirs.  This  is  the 
case  in  the  northern  part  of  the  district,  where  the  lower  sandy  members 
vary  between  75  and  100  ft.  in  thickness,  generally  in  two  different  bodies. 
The  Tulare  formation,  of  fresh-water  origin,  300  to  500  ft.  thick, 
follows  the  topography  of  the  region  and  lies  nearly  horizontal  throughout 
the  Lost  Hills  district.  In  the  northern  part  of  the  field  the  oil  from  the 
underlying  formations  has  migrated  upward  and  collected  in  the  Tulare 
in  minor  quantities. 

,  Structure 

The  dominant  structural  feature  of  the  Lost  Hills  district  is  the  well- 
defined  Coalinga  anticline,  which  extends  southeastward  from  Anticline 
ridge  in  the  Eastside  Coalinga  field,  through  the  Kettleman  hills  to  the 
Lost  hills,  where  it  runs  in  a  southeast  direction,  finally  plunging  under  the 
valley  filling  with  an  axial  dip  of  about  150  ft.  to  the  mile.  The  folding, 
which  has  had  a  controlling  influence  on  all  of  the  formations  and  on  the 
accumulation  and  migration  of  the  oil  in  the  district,  has  been  more  or  less 
intermittent  along  the  Coalinga  anticline,  as  is  attested  by  the  uncon- 
formable  position  of  the  Jacalitos  on  the  Santa  Margarita.  The  erosion 
which  took  place  before  the  deposition  of  the  Jacalitos  was  more  intense 
toward  the  northern  part  of  the  district,  thus  exposing  lower  members 
of  the  Santa  Margarita  formation  in  this  direction.  It  was  from  these 
eroded  members  that  the  Santa  Margarita  oil  migrated  to  the  lower  sandy 
beds  of  the  overlying  Jacalitos.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  district  the 
impervious  Santa  Margarita  shales  were  not  disturbed  or  eroded  to  the 
extent  of  allowing  the  escape  of  the  oil,  the  latter  being  retained  within 
its  sandy  members.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  gravity  of  the  oil  in  the 
Santa  Margarita  averages  about  35°  Baume*  (0.8485  sp.  gr.),  while  that 
of  the  oil  in  the  base  of  the  Jacalitos,  presumably  also  once  indigenous  to 
the  Santa  Margarita,  has  a  gravity  of  only  18°  Baume*  (0.9459  sp.  gr.). 

Development 

The  wells  in  the  Lost  Hills  district  vary  in  depth  between  600  and  2,000 
ft.,  those  obtaining  their  product  from  the  basal  portion  of  the  Jacalitos 
having  a  depth  of  from  500  to  700  ft.,  while  those  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  productive  area  and  which  obtain  oil  from  the  sandy  members  of  the 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       423 

Santa  Margarita  attain  a  depth  of  from  1,200  to  2,000  ft.  and  over.  The 
yield  of  the  wells  producing  the  heavy  oil  is  close  to  100  barrels  per  day 
during  their  early  life,  while  the  wells  yielding  the  light  oil  generally 
start  producing  by  natural  flow  as  high  as  a  thousand  barrels  per  day. 
This  flush  production,  however,  soon  decreases  and  leaves  the  well 
with  a  daily  production  at  present  averaging  about  74.8  barrels  per  day 
per  well,  less  than  that  of  the  more  constant  wells  of  heavy  oil.  The 
following  table  indicates  the  development  in  this  district  for  the  last  four 
years: 

Well  Development  in  the  Lost  Hills  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Dec.  31        Abandoned  During       Completed  During 

Year  Year 

1909  1  3 

1910  2  7 

1911  20  6  24 

1912  56                                     15  51 
1913a                      102                                   

"Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

Production 

The  production  of  the  district  during  1912  was  1,367,359  barrels. 
Previous  to  this  year  the  yield  was  included  with  that  of  the  McKittrick 
district. 

The  following  analysis  gives  the  composition  of  typical  oils  of  the 
Lost  Hills  District: 

Composition  of  Oils  of  Lost  Hills  District 
Specific  gravity  at  77°  F.  -0.9050,  or  24.7°  B.  (23.6°  B.  at  60°  F.) 

Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°      B.-0.7330  sp.  gr.) 2.0 

Engine  distillate (49.5°  B.-0.7800sp.  gr.) 18.0 

Stove  distillate (33.6°  B.-0.8557  sp.  gr.) 20.0 

Fuel  oil (25.0°  B. -0.9032  sp.  gr.) 10.4 

Residue (13.4°  B. -0.9765  sp.  gr.) 49.6 

100.0 
MCKITTRICK,  MIDWAY,  AND  SUNSET  DISTRICTS 

The  McKittrick,  Midway,  and  Sunset  districts  are  situated  in  the 
southwestern  corner  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley  in  western  Kern  county, 
and  include,  roughly,  about  400  square  miles.  They  are  reached  by  the 
Sunset  Western  railroad,  a  branch  line  connecting  with  the  main  lines  of 
the  Southern  Pacific  and  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  F6  railroads  at  Bakers- 
field,  40  miles  to  the  east.  The  towns  of  Maricopa,  in  the  Sunset  district, 
Taft  and  Fellows,  in  the  Midway  district,  and  McKittrick  in  the  district 


424        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

of  the  same  name,  are  the  chief  centers  of  distribution  of  supplies.  The 
pipe  lines  of  the  Standard  Oil,  Associated  Oil,  General  Petroleum,  and 
Producers  Transportation  companies  connect  the  districts  to  tidewater. 
The  topography  of  these  districts  is  dominated  by  the  Temblor 
Range,  which  rises  to  heights  of  from  3,000  to  4,000  ft.  and  bounds  them 
on  the  west;  the  San  Emidio  Range,  attaining  altitudes  of  over  8,000  ft., 
bounds  the  Sunset  district  on  the  south,  this  district  lying  in  the  obtuse 
angle  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  two  ranges.  In  general,  the  districts 
may  be  described  as  occupying  the  transition  zone  of  low  rolling  hills, 
which  is  developed  between  the  more  or  less  sharp  and  rugged  topography 
of  the  major  ranges,  and  the  flats  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley. 


FIG.  4. — McKiTTRicK  FIELD. 

View  of  north  end  of  field.     Note  the  earthen  reservoirs  for  catching  oil  and  settling 
the  sand.     Photograph  for  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  by  R.  A. 

In  November,  1913,  there  were  311  producing  wells  in  the  McKittrick 
district  (includes  Belridge),  ranging  in  depth  from  about  600  to  1,800  ft. 
The  oil  in  this  district  is  dark  colored,  varying  in  gravity  from  12°  to  20° 
Baume  (0.9859  to  0.9333  sp.  gr.) ;  the  production  from  individual  wells 
ranges  from  2  to  1,000  barrels  per  day.  The  first  recorded  commercial 
production  from  this  district  was  in  1898,  when  it  is  estimated  that  about 
10,000  barrels  were  produced. 

The  wells  in  the  Midway  district  vary  in  depth  from  500  to  over  4,000 
ft.,  the  product  grading  from  a  black  oil  of  11°  Baume  (0.9929  sp,  gr.) 
to  a  greenish-brown  oil  of  29°  Baume  (0.8805  sp.  gr.),  and  even  oil  of 
36°  Baume  gravity  (0.8433  sp.  gr.)  has  been  reported  from  certain  wells 
in  the  Elk  and  Buena  Vista  hills.  The  production  of  individual  wells 


GEOLOGY    AND    TECHNOLOGY    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS        425 


FIG.  5. — SUNSET  FIELD. 

Portion  of  the  developed  field.     The  San  Emidio  Range  appears  in  the  distance  on 
the  right.     Photograph  for  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  by  R.  A. 


FIG.  6. — SUNSET  FIELD. 

Mound  of  sand  and  shale  "pebbles"  that  have  come  with  the  heavy  oil  produced. 
This  material  greatly  hinders  the  productivity  of  the  wells. 


426        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

varies  from  10  to  2,500  barrels  per  day,  although  flush  or  initial  produc- 
tions have  reached  20,000  barrels  or  more  per  day.  This  district,  which 
at  present  is  the  most  important  in  the  world,  is  comparatively  new,  its 
first  yield,  less  than  5,000  barrels,  being  recorded  in  1901. 

The  wells  in  the  Sunset  district  vary  in  depth  between  400  and\bout 
3,000  ft.,  although  unsuccessful  wells  over  5,200  ft.  in  depth  have  been 
drilled  in  the  region  east  of  the  Midway  and  Sunset  producing  areas. 


FIG.  7. — SUNSET  FIELD. 

Lake  View  Gusher  in  action.     At  the  time  when  this  photo  was  taken  the  well  was 
producing  about  40,000  barrels  per  day. 


The  product  of  this,  district  varies  in  gravity  from  11°  to  21°  Baume* 
(0.9929  to  0.9271  sp.  gr.),  the  production  varying  from  4  to  300  or  400 
barrels,  although  flush  production  up  to  58,000  barrels  per  day  (Lake 
View  gusher,  Fig.  7)  has  been  known  in  the  district.  Development 
work  has  been  carried  on  in  this  district  for  many  years,  but  not  until 
1900,  when  it  produced  somewhat  over  12,000  barrels,  were  the  returns 
commercially  profitable. 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS        427 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  McKittrick,  Midway, 
and  Sunset  districts  include,  in  the  order  of  their  age  beginning  with  the 
oldest,  coarse,  semi-concretionary  sandstone  400  ft.  or  more  in  thickness, 
believed  to  be  of  Vaqueros  or  lower  Miocene  age;  3,000  to  5,000  ft.  of 
siliceous  and  clayey  shale  containing  numerous  thin  calcareous  layers 
and  concretions  of  Monterey  or  lower  Miocene  age;  softer,  lighter-colored 
diatomaceous  shale  locally  silicified  to  chalcedony,  in  which  are  inter- 
calated prominent  lenses  of  coarse  granitic  sand  and  conglomerate  (the 
latter  containing  some  boulders  up  to  6  ft.  in  diameter),  1,000  to  1,500  ft. 
thick  and  believed  to  be  of  Santa  Margarita  or  upper  Miocene  age"f  a  series 
of  1,200  to  2,000  ft.  of  soft  sands,  clays,  and  conglomerates,  probably 
divisible  into  more  than  one  stratigraphic  horizon  called  the  McKittrick 
formation  and  of  upper  Miocene  and  possibly  Pliocene  age;  and,  finally, 
stream  deposits,  valley  fillings  and  alluvium,  of  Quarternary  age.  The 
Monterey  and  Santa  Margarita  formations  apparently  lie  in  a  conform- 
able series,  while  the  McKittrick  (upper  Miocene)  overlies  these  uncon- 
formably,  contains  intraformational  unconformities,  and  is,  in  turn, 
unconformably  overlain  by  the  Quarternary  deposits. 

The  oil  is  believed  to  have  originated  in  the  diatomaceous  shales  of  the 
Monterey  and  Santa  Margarita  formations,  and  to  have  migrated  to  the 
porous  layers  intercalated  with  them,  or  to  the  sands  and  gravels  of  the 
unconformably  overlying  McKittrick  formation.  With  possibly  a  few 
exceptions,  the  productive  sands  in  all  of  the  operating  wells  are  included 
in  the  base  of  the  McKittrick  formation  or  in  sands  overlying  the  intra- 
formational unconformity.  The  deeper  sands  in  some  of  the  wells  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Midway  district  may  occur  in  the  Santa  Margarita. 
It  is  also  possible  that  commercial  quantities  of  oil  are  contained  in  sands 
near  the  base  of  the  Monterey  or  in  certain  structurally  favorable  local- 
ities, particularly  in  the  Sunset  district.  The  geological  and  structural 
conditions  affecting  the  accumulation  of  oil  in  the  Belridge  field  are 
somewhat  similar  to  those  in  the  Lost  Hills  district. 


Structure 

These  districts  lie  on  the  northeast  flank  of  the  great  geoanticline 
which  dominates  the  Temblor  Range.  The  beds  on  this  flank  do  not 
form  a  simple  slope  into  the  San  Joaquin  valley,  but  are  affected  by  a 
series  of  more  or  less  well-defined  folds  or  anticlines,  which  in  a  general 
way  are  reflected  by  hills  and  ridges  on  the  surface.  Such  anticlines  as 
the  Twenty-five  hill  and  those  in  the  Buena  Vista  and  Elk  hills  are  char- 
acteristic of  the  folds  in  this  region.  In  general,  the  dips  of  the  beds  on 
the  flanks  of  these  folds  are  relatively  low  (5°  to  12°)  as  compared  with 


428        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFOKNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

those  developed  in  the  heart  of  the  Temblor  Range,  which  average  over 
45°.  The  largest  producers  are  found  on  or  near  the  axes  of  anticlines  and 
subsidiary  folds.  More  water  troubles  and  usually  smaller  productions 
are  encountered  in  the  wells  in  synclines. 

Broadly  speaking,  the  productive  McKittrick  district  lies  on  the  flanks 
of  three  more  or  less  local  and  highly  complex  folds  subsidiary  to  the  great 
northeast-dipping  monocline.  Thrust  faulting  and  overturning  have  so 
complicated  the  folding  as  to  often  place  the  older  beds  above  the  younger. 

The  Midway  district  is  developed  on  the  monocline  and  on  subsidiary 
folds.  The  district  is  divided  locally  into  a  number  of  areas  named  for 
topographic  or  structural  features.  The  most  important  of  these  areas 
are  the  Buena  Vista  hills,  Midway  Flat  (valley),  Twenty-five  hill,  Elk 
hills,  etc. 

The  Sunset  district  is  located  on  the  main  monocline  and  on  the 
Twenty-five  and  California  Fortune  anticlines  and  subsidiary  flexures. 

MCKITTRICK  DISTRICT 

Location 

The  McKittrick  (Fig.  4)  is  the  northernmost  of  the  districts  under 
discussion,  and  covers  a  narrow  strip  7  or  8  miles  along  the  foothills  im- 
mediately west  of  the  town  of  McKittrick.  It  includes  the  newly  discov- 
ered extension  known  as  the  Belridge  field,  situated  11  miles  northwest 
in  an  intermediate  position  between  McKittrick  and  Lost  Hills. 

Development 

The  well  development  in  this  district  is  summarized  in  the  following 
table,  which  indicates  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years: 

Well  Development  in  the  McKittrick  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Abandoned  During    Completed  During 
Producing  Dec.  31  Year  Year 

1909  208                                 3  6 

1910  231                                 2  15 

1911  246                                 9  24 

1912  297  20  16 

1913  311«  

0  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  the  McKittrick 
district  from  beginning  to  date: 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        429 


Yearly  Production  of  McKittrick  District 


Year 

1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 


Production 
Barrels 

10,000 

15,000 

80,000 

430,450 

619,296 

658,351 

400,000 

276,171 


Year 

1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 


Production 
Barrels 

531,185 
1,944,671 
2,517,951 
5,077,362 
5,604,653 
5,149,226 
5,881,996 

29,196,312 


The  oil  from  the  wells  of  this  district  is  black  to  brownish  in  color 
and  varies  in  gravity  from  12.5°  to  24°  Baume"  (0.9845  to  0.9091  sp.  gr.), 
the  last  being  unusually  light,  and,  so  far  as  known,  produced  only  by 
one  well.  At  the  north  end  of  the  district  it  ranges  between  12.5°  and 
21°  Baume  (0.9845  and  0.9271  sp.  gr.),  average  15°*  or  16°  Baume  (0.9655 
or  0.9589  sp.  gr.) ;  the  variation  in  the  central  part  of  the  district  is  be- 
tween 12°  and  24°  Baume*  (0.9859  and  0.9091  sp.  gr.),  average  15°  to  17° 
Baume  (0.9655  to  0.9524  sp.  gr.) ;  the  gravity  of  the  oil  in  the  southern 
end  of  the  district  is  uniform  and  of  about  18°  Baume"  (0.9459  sp.  gr.), 
while  the  gravity  of  oil  from  wells  in  the  valley  and  in  the  hills  north  of 
the  McKittrick  valley  runs  from  12°  to  14°  Baume  (0.9859  to  0.9722  sp. 
gr.),  or  possibly  a  little  lighter.  The  following  analysis  gives  the  main 
physical  and  chemical  characteristics  of  the  average  McKittrick  product: 

Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  McKittrick   District4 

Commercial  Values 


Sp  gr  at  15°  C 

Average  of  26 
Samples 

0  9566 

Composite 
Sample 

0  9600 

Degrees  Baume"  at  60°  F  

16.37 

15  83 

Heating  value: 
Per  gram,  calories            

10  282 

10  186 

Per  pound  B.t.u 

18  508 

18  335 

Per  gallon  B  t  u 

148  276 

146  680        ' 

Weight  per  gallon,  pounds  , 

8  01 

8  00 

Flash,  point  (open  cup),  °C  

,  87 

74 

Burning  point  (open  cup),  °C        

115 

109 

Viscosity  at  20°  C   (Engler  scale) 

200 

160  7 

\Vater  per  cent 

2  0 

1      K. 

Sulphur,  per  cent  

0  .  78 

0  74 

Naphtha  (unrefined),  per  cent  

4  Allen,  Irving  C.,  and  Jacobs,  W.  A. :  Bulletin  No.  19,  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  (1911) . 


430       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  McKittrick 
District  (Continued) 

Commercial  Values 

Average  of  26  Composite 

Samples  Sample 

Fuel  oil,  per  cent 98.0  98.5 

Gasoline  (refined),  per  cent 

Lamp  oil  (refined),  per  cent 13 . 2  14 . 0 

Lubricants  (refined),  per  cent 41 . 0  36 . 5 

Refining  losses,  per  cent 6.6  6.1 

Distilling  losses,  per  cent 0.8  1.2 

Asphaltum  (commercial),  per  cent 36.4  40.7 

Fractional  Distillation 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters. . : 741  735 

Water,  per  cent 2.0  1.5 

Naphthas: 

Up  to  150°  C.,  per  cent 

Unrefined,  per  cent 

Lamp  oils: 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent 0.1  

175°  to  200°  C.,  per  cent 0.4  

200°  to  225°  C.;  per  cent 0.9  1.3 

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent 2.4  3.1 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent 3.7  5.0 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent 6.8  5.7 

Unrefined,  per  cent 14.3  15.1 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent 8.9  7.7 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters 17  20 

Lubricants: 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent 0.2  

175°  to  200°  C.,  per  cent 1.6  1.6 

200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent 5.4  3.2 

225°  to  250°  C.;  per  cent 6.5  6.1 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent 6.7  5.8 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent 6.8  6.9 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent 10.4  10.2 

Unrefined,  per  cent 46 . 5  41 . 5 

Residue  (asphaltum),  per  cent 36.4  40.7 

Distilling  loss,  per  cent 0.8  1.2 

MIDWAY  DISTRICT 

Location 

The  Midway  district  embraces  the  belt  of  territory  about  15  miles 
long  and  10  miles  wide  extending  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  about 
6  miles  southeast  of  McKittrick  to  the  north  limit  of  the  Sunset  district, 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       431 

15  miles  southeast.  It  is  separated  from  the  McKittrick  district  by  a 
strip  of  unproductive  territory,  and  from  the  Sunset  district  by  an  arbi- 
trary east-and-west  line  which  marks  the  change  from  the  Mount  Diablo 
to  the  San  Bernardino  base  and  meridian. 


Development 

The  well  development  in  this  district  is  summarized  in  the  following 
table,  which  indicates  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years: 

Well  Development  in  the  Midway  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Dec.  31       Abandoned  During       Completed  During 

Year  Year 

1909  208  ....  25 

1910  408  12  230 

1911  692  46  333 

1912  802  92  202 

1913  917°  ....  ,        ..... 

«  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 


Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  the  Midway  dis- 
trict from  beginning  to  date: 


Yearly  Production  in  Barrels  of  Midway  District 

v  Production  v  Production 

Barrels  Barrels 

1901  4,235  1907  134,174 

1902  3,048  1908  410,393 

1903  5,000  1909  2,094,851 

1904  8,045  1910  10,436,137 

1905  11,033         1911          21,196,475 

1906  (Included  in  Sunset) 1912         23,928,368 

58,213,759 

The  oil  from  the  wells  of  this  district  varies  from  black  to  brown  in 
color,  and  in  gravity  from  about  11°  to  12°  Baum6  (0.9929  to  0.9859  sp. 
gr.)  to  as  high  as  25°  Baume"  (0.9032  sp.  gr.).  The  following  analysis 
gives  the  main  physical  and  chemical  characteristics  of  the  average 
Midway  product: 


432       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  Midway  District5 


Commercial  Values 


Average  of  29 

Composite 

Samples 

Sample 

Sp.  gr.  at  15°  C  

0.9570 

0.9580 

Degrees  Baume*  at  60°  F  

16.34 

16.14 

Heating  value  : 

Per  gram,  calories  

10,341 

10,314 

Per  pound,  B.t.u  

18,613 

18,565 

Per  gallon,  B.t.u  

148,345 

148,149 

Weight  per  gallon,  pounds  

7.97 

7.98 

Flash  point  (open  cup),  °C  

78 

61 

Burning  point  (open  cup),  °C  

99 

87 

Viscosity  at  20°  C.  (Engler  scale)  

518.1 

137.9 

Water,  per  cent  

0.3 

0.5 

Sulphur,  per  cent  

0.83 

0.82 

Naphtha  (unrefined),  per  cent  

0.1 

Fuel  oil,  per  cent  

......             99.6 

99.5 

Gasoline  (refined),  per  cent  

0.1 

Lamp  oil  (refined),  per  cent  

14.4 

15.3 

Lubricants  (refined),  per  cent  

39.7 

33.9 

Refining  losses,  per  cent  

6.6 

5.8 

Distilling  losses,  per  cent  

0.7 

0.7 

Asphaltum  (commercial),  per  cent  

37.8 

43.8 

Fractional 

Distillation 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters  

744 

739 

Water,  per  cent  

0.3 

0.5 

Naphthas: 

Up  to  150°  C.,  per  cent  

Unrefined,  per  cent  

Lamp  oils: 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent  

0.4 

175°  to  200°  C.,  per  cent  

1.0 



200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent  

1.3 

0.6 

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent  

...'...               2.5 

3.5 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent  

4.0 

4.9 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent  

6.8 

7.5 

Unrefined,  per  cent  , 

16.0 

16.5 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent  

9.0 

8.5 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters  

18 

20 

Lubricants  : 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent  

0.4 

175°  to  200°  C.,  per  cent  

2.0 

0.9 

200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent  

5.0 

2.4 

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent  

6.1 

4.2 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent  

6.3 

7.1 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent  

6.7 

7.0 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent  

9.7 

8.4 

Unrefined,  per  cent  • 

45.2 

38.5 

Residue  (asphaltum),  per  cent  , 

37.8 

43.8 

Distilling  loss,  per  cent  , 

0.7 

0.7 

6  Allen,  Irving  C.,  and  Jacobs,  W.  A.,  Bulletin  No.  19,  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  (1911). 


GEOLOGY  AND  TECHNOLOGY  OF  THE  CALIFORNIA  OIL  FIELDS     433 

SUNSET  DISTRICT 

Location 

The  Sunset  district  (Fig.  5)  embraces  the  territory  along  the  north- 
eastern base  of  the  Temblor  Range,  south  of  the  line  marking  the  change 
from  the  Mount  Diablo  to  the  San  Bernardino  base  and  meridian,  and 
includes  the  southeastern  part  of  T.  12  N.,  R.  24  W.,  the  northeast  part  of 
T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  the  southwest  part  of  T.  12  N.,  R.  23  W.,  and  the  west- 
ern part  of  T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W. 

Development 

The  well  development  in  this  district  is  summarized  in  the  following 
table,  which  indicates  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years: 

Well  Development  in  the  Sunset  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Dec.  31        Abandoned  During        Completed  During 

Year  Year 

1909  190  2  20 

1910  248  4  67 

1911  330  7  94 

1912  '  380  32  82 

1913  306° 

0  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  the  Sunset  district 
from  beginning  to  date: 

Yearly  Production  of  Sunset  District 

Voo  Production  -r  Production 

Year  Year 

Barrels  Barrels 

1900  12,500         1907  567,175 

1901  188,600  1908  1.556,263 

1902  167,558  1909  1,712,771 

1903  250,000  1910  7,157,030 

1904  276,000  1911  6,350,298 

1905  302,701  1912  6,509,093 

1906  409,335  


25,459,324 


The  hydrocarbon  products  of  the  Sunset  district  consist  of  heavy  tar, 
oil  varying  in  gravity  from  11°  to  about  20°  Baume*  (0.9929  to  0.9333 


434       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

sp.  gr.),  and  gas.  The  tar  occurs  in  springs  along  the  outcrops  of  the 
oil  sands  in  certain  exposures  of  the  upturned  petroliferous  siliceous 
shales  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  district.  The  oil  is  black,  and  the 
heavy  qualities  are  very  viscous.  The  heavier  oil,  averaging  from  12° 
to  13°  Baum6  gravity  (0.9859  to  0.9790  sp.  gr.),  occurs  in  the  zone  just 
under  the  tar  sands  in  the  shallower  wells  which  are  located  at  either  end 
and  along  the  southwestern  edge  of  the  district.  The  lighter  oil,  13.5°  to 
20°  Baume"  gravity  (0.9756  to  0.9333  sp.  gr.),  is  produced  by  the  deeper 
wells,  especially  those  in  the  northern  part  of  the  district.  The  lightest 
oil  occurs  in  the  deeper  wells  at  the  northern  end  of  the  district.  Much 
sand  accompanies  the  oil  (Fig.  6),  sometimes  as  much  as  two-thirds  of  the 
gross  yield  of  the  well  being  sand.  One  well  alone  produced  over  110,000 
cu.  ft.  of  sand  in  about  four  years  and  another  has  yielded  almost  as  much 
in  two  years.  The  following  analysis  gives  the  main  physical  and  chem- 
ical characteristics  of  the  average  Sunset  product: 


Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  Sunset  District1 


Commercial  Values 


Sp.  gr.  at  15°  C 

Degrees  Baume"  at  60°  F 

Heating  value: 

Per  gram,  calories 

Per  pound,  B.t.u 

Per  gallon,  B.t  u 

Weight  per  gallon,  pounds 

Flash  point  (open  cup),  °C 

Burning  point  (open  cup),  °C 

Viscosity  at  20°  C.,  (Engler  scale) 

Water,  per  cent 

Sulphur,  per  cent 

Naphtha  (unrefined),  per  cent 

Fuel  oil,  per  cent 

Gasoline  (refined),  per  cent 

Lamp  oil  (refined),  per  cent 

Lubricants  (refined),  per  cent 

Refining  losses,  per  cent 

Distilling  losses,  per  cent. 


Asphaltum  (commercial),  per  cent. 


Average  of  25 

Samples 
_    0.9701 
14.37- 


10,266 

18,478 

149,302 

8.08 

89 

113 

527.2 

1.7 

1.02 

0.3 

97.9 

0.3 

8.3 

37.9 

5.8 

0.7 


Fractional  Distillation 


Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters. 

Water,  per  cent 

Naphthas: 

Up  to  150°  C.,  per  cent 


45.3 


743 
1.7 

0.3 


Composite 
Sample 

0.9705 
14.26 

10,233 

18,419 

149,010 

8.09 

71 

101 

604.2 

0.4 

1.06 


99.6 


10.7 

32.5 

5.2 

0.9 

50.3 


736 
0.4 


•  Allen,  Irving  C.,  and  Jacobs,  W.  A.,  Bulletin  No.  19,  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  (1911), 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       435 

Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  Sunset 
District  (Continued) 

Fractional  Distillation 

Average  of  25  Composite 

Samples  Sample 

Unrefined,  per  cent 0.3  .... 

Lamp  oils :  

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent' 0.2 

175°  to  200°  C.,  per  cent 0.6                         

200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent 0.7                         

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent.... 1.4  1.3 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent 2.3  3.4 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent 3.8  6.8 

Unrefined,  per  cent 9.0  11.5 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent 6.6  7.2 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters 18  20 

Lubricants: 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent 0.2  <                      

175°  to  200°  C.,  per  cent 1.7  0.4 

200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent 4.4  3.1 

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent 6.3  4.9 

.    250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent 6.3  5.4 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent 7.4  6.2 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent.... 10.2  9.7 

I    Unrefined,  per  cent 43.1  36.9 

Residue  (asphaltum),  per  cent 45 . 3  50 . 3 

bistilling  loss,  per  cent 0.6  0.9 

KERN  RIVER  DISTRICT 

The  Kern  River  district  (Fig.  8)  lies  on  the  low  rolling  hills  at  the  foot 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada  which  form  the  eastern  rim  of  the  San  Joaquin 
valley.  The  relief  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  field  is  not  sharp, 
although  steep-sided  gullies  cut  the  hills  in  some  places.  The  elevations 
range  from  500  to  1,000  ft.  above  sea  level,  the  field  presenting  an  undu- 
lating appearance.  The  Kern  river,  one  of  the  largest  in  the  San  Joaquin 
valley  drainage  basin,  flows  south  and  east  of  the  productive  field.  A 
branch  of  the  Southern  Pacific  railroad  penetrates  the  district  and  con- 
nects with  the  main  line  at  Oil  Junction,  about  4  miles  to  the  southwest. 
The  center  of  supplies  is  the  city  of  Bakersfield,  situated  about  4J  miles 
southwest,  with  a  population  of  about  12,700  inhabitants.  The  district 
is  tapped  by  the  pipe  lines  of  the  Standard  Oil,  Associated  Pipe  Line, 
and  Producers  Transportation  companies,  and  most  of  the  oil,  although 
of  low  gravity,  is  satisfactorily  pumped  through  pipe  lines  or  shipped  in 
tank  cars. 

This  district  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  State,  its  discovery  in  1899 
marking  the  initiation  of  the  State  as  a  world  factor  in  the  production  of 


436        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

fuel  oil.  During  its  first  productive  year  the  yield  of  the  district  amounted 
to  nearly  900,000  barrels,  and  four  years  afterward  its  yearly  produc- 
tion was  over  18,000,000  barrels.  Although  no  flowing  wells  were  ever 
struck  within  its  limits,  this  district  is  noted  for  the  large  amounts  of  oil 
that  have  been  recovered  from  some  of  the  properties.  This  is  due,  to  a 
great  extent,  to  the  great  thickness  of  the  producing  sands,  which  ranges 
from  200  to  500  ft.  This  district  has  produced  to  date  the  largest  amount 
of  oil  of  any  in  the  State. 

The  proved  territory  has  an  area  of  about  15  square  miles,  having  an 
irregular  elliptical  form  with  its  longest  axis  extending  in  a  northwest- 


Mfc 


FIG.  8. — KERN  RIVER  FIELD. 

Fully  developed  area.  Wells  in  this  field  are  placed  from  200  to  300  feet  apart. 
One  of  the  large  open  reservoirs  utilized  for  temporary  storage  of  oil  shown  in  fore- 
ground. 

southeast  direction.  The  productivity  of  the  wells  within  this  area 
varies  with  the  distance  from  the  center  in  a  more  or  less  uniform  ratio, 
the  more  productive  wells  being  located  near  the  central  portion.  The 
depth  to  the  productive  oil  horizons  varies  from  400  ft.  on  the  northeast 
rim  of  the  fold  to  1,100  or  1,200  ft.  on  the  south  and  west  borders.  The 
average  depth  of  all  the  wells  in  the  district  will  approximate  900  ft.,  and 
the  gravity  of  the  oil  produced  averages  about  14°  Baume*  (0.9722  sp.  gr.) . 
It  is  used  mainly  for  fuel  and  the  manufacture  of  asphalt. 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  Kern  River  district 
consist  of  a  basement  complex  of  granitic  rocks  overlain  by  a  series  of 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       437 

Tertiary  sedimentaries  which  well  records  show  to  attain  a  thickness  of 
about  5,000  ft.  in  the  region  of  the  oil  field  proper.  The  granite  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada  is  continuous  around  the  south  end  of  San  Joaquin  valley, 
and  in  the  vicinity  of  Kern  river  the  escarpment  of  the  mountain  front 
is  believed  to  mark  a  normal  fault  along  which  the  granite  on  the  east 
has  been  raised  and  the  Miocene  beds  on  the  west  depressed. 

The  Tertiary  formations  are  classed  into  an  upper  and  a  lower  division. 
The  upper  division  is  made  up  of  coarse,  unconsolidated  sands  and  gravel 
and  contains  large  quantities  of  boulders.  These  beds  are  supposed  to 
correspond  to  portions  of  the  Tulare,  Etchegoin,  and  possibly  Santa 
Margarita  formations  of  the  western  side  of  the  valley.  The  lower 
division,  composed  mostly  of  clays  and  soft  diatomaceous  shales  grading 
up  from  a  basal  sandstone,  represents  the  Monterey.  The  geologic 
studies  so  far  made  tend  to  show  that  the  major  features  of  Tertiary 
geologic  history  were  alike  on  the  two  sides  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley. 
The  lower  division  is  regarded  as  the  source  of  the  oil,  and  the  upper  as 
the  main  zone  of  its  accumulation. 

Structure 

The  structure  of  this  district  is  that  of  a  low  monoclinal  dome  and  pre- 
sents a  symmetrical  arrangement  as  regards  its  productive  territory. 
Minor  folds  occur  throughout  the  productive  portion  of  the  monocline, 
and  these  control, 'to  a  certain  degree,  the  extent  of  local  accumulation 
in  the  district.  The  latter,  as  outlined  by  drilling,  is  an  ellipse  with  the 
production  and  quality  of  the  oil  best  immediately  northeast  of  the  center 
and  gradually  decreasing  toward  the  perimeter. 

Development 

The  following  table  gives  in  a  condensed  form  the  principal  data  re- 
garding the  operation  in  this  district  for  the  last  four  years: 

Well  Development  in  the  Kern  River  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Abandoned  Completed 

Dec.  31  During  Year  During  Year 

1909  1393  22  25 

1910  1591  8  22 

1911  1787  34  153 

1912  1813  68  94 

1913  1699°         

a  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

The  wells  average  in  depth  about  900  ft.  and  are  drilled  in  about  30 
days.  The  formations  penetrated  by  the  wells  are  sands  and  clays  and 
contain  water-bearing  strata  above  and  below  the  oil-producing  zones. 


438        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  this  district  from 
beginning  to  date: 

Yearly  Production  of  Kern  River  District 

v  Production  v  Production 

Barrels  Barrels 

1900  800,000        1907         13,006,136 

1901  3,870,170        1908         13,648,286 

1902  8,915,801        1909         14,946,784 

1903  17,164,549  1910  14,698,907 

1904  18,924,000  1911  13,225,713 

1905  13,898,062  1912  12,558,439 

1906  13,580,334 

159,237,181 

The  oil  produced  in  this  district  is  heavy,  having  an  average  gravity 
of  14°  Baum6  (0.9722  sp.  gr.).  It  is  used  mainly  for  fuel,  road  dressing, 
and  the  manufacture  of  asphalt.  The  following  analysis  gives  the  main 
physical  and  chemical  characteristics  of  the  average  Kern  River  product: 

Physical   and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  Kern  River  District"1 

Commercial  Values 


Average  of  40 

Composite 

Samples 

Sample 

Sp.  gr.  at  15°  C  

0.9645 

0.9670 

Degrees  Baum6  at  60°  F.  .  .  .  '.  

15.16 

14.78 

Heating  value  : 

Per  gram,  calories  

10,307 

10,312 

Per  pound,  B.t.u  

18,553 

18,562 

Per  gallon,  B.t.u  

148,980 

149,610 

Weight  per  gallon,  pounds  

8.03 

8.06 

Flash  point  (open  cup)  °C  

108 

102 

Burning  point  (open  cup)  °C  

130 

128 

Viscosity  at  20°  C.  (Engler  scale)  

915.6 

690.0 

Water,  per  cent  

0.5 

.        0.5 

Sulphur,  per  cent  

0.83 

0.89 

Naphtha  (unrefined),  per  cent  

Fuel  oil,  per  cent  

99.5 

99.5 

Gasoline  (refined),  per  cent  

Lamp  oil  (refined),  per  cent  

6.6 

3.0 

Lubricants  (refined),  per  cent  

39.2 

40.9 

Refining  losses,  per  cent  

5.9 

5.8 

Distilling  losses,  per  cent  

0.5 

0.5 

Asphaltum  (commercial),  per  cent  

47.3 

•     49.3 

7  Allen,  Irving  C.,  and  Jacobs,  W.  A. :  Bulletin  No.  19,  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines 
(1911). 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFOENIA   OIL   FIELDS       439 

Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  Oil  from  the  Kern  River 
District  (Continued) 
Fractional  Distillation 

Average  of  40        Composite 
Samples  Sample 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters 743  74 1 

Water,  per  cent 0.5  0.5 

Naphthas : 

Up  to  150°  C.,  per  cent '. 

Unrefined,  per  cent 

Lamp  oils:  '  ,  -, 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent. ......              .  •  >'. ...... 

175°  to  200°  C,,  per  cent. ......'.! 0.3  ...... 

200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent 0.4 

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent 0.8  0.5 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent 1.6  0.9        ; 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent 4.0  1.8 

Unrefined,  per  cent 7  .,1  3.2        ! 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent 7.V  4.9 

Pressure  of  mercury,  millimeters 18  20 

Lubricants : 

150°  to  175°  C.,  per  cent 0.1  1.1        j 

175°  to  200°  C,,  per  cent 0.6  2.5        j 

200°  to  225°  C.,  per  cent 2.5  4.1 

225°  to  250°  C.,  per  cent. 5.8  7.9 

250°  to  275°  C.,  per  cent 7.2  9.1 

275°  to  300°  C.,  per  cent 8.5  8.3        | 

300°  to  325°  C.,  per  cent 12.2  8.6 

Unrefined,  per  cent. 44 . 6  46 . 5 

Residue  (asphaltum),  per  cent 47 . 3  49 . 3 

Distilling  loss,  per  cent 0.5  0.5 

COAST  DISTRICTS 

SANTA  MARIA  DISTRICT 

The  Santa  Maria  district  (Fig.  9)  lies  in  northern  Santa  Barbara 
county,  in  the  region  of  rolling  hills  between  the  Santa  Ynez  and  San 
Rafael  mountains.  The  district  comprises  three  principal  fields,  the 
Santa  Maria  or  Orcutt  field,  the  Lompoc  field,  and  the  Cat  Canyon  field. 
Up  to  the  present  time  the  greater  part  of  the  development  has  taken 
place  in  the  Orcutt  field,  as  this  was  the  first  one  discovered  and  exploited, 
the  first  successful  well  being  finished  in  August,  1901.  The  wells  in  this 
field  yield  from  60  to  2,500  barrels  of  oil  per  day  each,  although  initial 
yields  of  from  2,000  to  12,000  barrels  have  been  recorded.  The  gravity 
of  the  oil  varies  from  18°  to  31°  Baume  (0.9459  to  0.8695  sp.  gr.).  The 
wells/)f  the  Lompoc  field  yield  oil  of  16°  to  37°  Baume  gravity  (0.9589  to 
0.8383  sp.  gr.),  varying  in  amount  in  the  individual  wells  from  100  to 


440       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

600  barrels  per  day.  Successful  wells  were  drilled  in  this  field  in  1904, 
and  since  that  time  the  further  development  of  this  part  of  the  district 
has  been  assured.  In  the  Cat  Canyon  field  the  wells  so  far  brought  in 
have  yielded  from  150  to  as  high  as  10,000  barrels  per  day.  The  quality 
of  the  oil  in  this  field  runs  from  11°  to  19°  Baume  gravity  (0.9929  to 
0.9395  sp.  gr.). 

The  center  of  supplies  is  the  town  of  Santa  Maria,  which  is  connected 
with  Guadalupe,  a  station  on  the  Coast  Line  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
railroad,  by  an  electric  railroad.  The  Pacific  Coast  railroad  connects 
the  different  fields  with  Santa  Maria,  Port  Harford,  and  San  Luis  Obispo, 
this  latter  city  being  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Coast  Line.  The  greater 
quantity  of  the  oil  produced  is  piped  to  the  refineries  at  Gaviota  and 


FIG.  9. — SANTA  MARIA  DISTRICT. 

View  of  portion  of  the  Santa  Maria  or  Orcutt  field.     Photograph  for  U.  S.  Geological 

Survey,  by  R.  A. 

Avila  on  the  coast,  the  Associated  Oil  Co.  owning  the  former,  and  the 
Union  Oil  Co.  the  latter  plant.  The  Standard  Oil  Co.,  which  controls 
a  very  small  portion  of  the  output,  has  a  pipe  line  connecting  the  district 
with  Port  San  Luis. 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  productive  region  of 
this  district  include  the  Monterey  (lower  Miocene) ;  Fernando  (Miocene- 
Pliocene-Pleistocene)  ;  and  Quaternary. 

The  Monterey  formation  is  made  up  of  a  5,000-ft.  series  of  fine  shales, 
largely  of  organic  origin,  which  overlies  conformably  the  older  coarse  and 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       441 

fine  sedimentary  deposits.  These  shales  are  especially  important  as  the 
probable  source  of  the  oil  in  the  district,  and  the  present  reservoir  in 
some  of  the  fields,  and  are  characterized  by  their  diatomaceous  composi- 
tion. Although  there  seems  to  be  perfect  conformity  throughout  the 
series,  it  may  be  divided  on  lithologic  grounds  into  two  parts,  a  lower  one 
composed  chiefly  of  hard,  metamorphosed,  in  places  flinty  shales,  and  an 
upper  one  in  which  soft  shale,  resembling  chalk  and  giving  evidence  to 
the  naked  eye  of  its  organic  origin,  is  predominant.  The  oil  in  the 
Orcutt  and  Lompoc  fields  is  derived  largely  from  the  basal  Monterey  beds; 
the  reservoir  being  interstices  in  the  fractured  flinty  shales  or  in  fine- 
grained true  oil  sands. 

The  Fernando  formation  consists  throughout  of  a  series  of  sandstone, 
conglomerate,  and  shale  resting  unconformably  upon  the  Monterey. 
Unconformities  also  exist  locally  within  the  Fernando.  It  attains  a  thick- 
ness of  at  least  3,000  ft.  The  chief  importance  of  the  Fernando  in  connec- 
tion with  studies  of  this  oil  district  is  derived  from  the  facts  that  it  ob- 
scures the  oil-bearing  formation  over  a  wide  area;  that  it  affords  through 
its  structure  a  clue  to  the  structure  of  the  underlying  Monterey;  and  that 
it  acts  as  a  reservoir  for  the  oil  in  the  Cat  Canyon  field,  and  as  a  receptacle 
for  escaping  bituminous  material  in  several  localities  within  the  district. 

Structure 

This  district  is  a  region  of  long  sinuous  folds,  a  peculiar  type  of  struc- 
ture characteristic  of  the  Santa  Maria  region.  It  is  near  the  axis  of  these 
folds  that  the  productive  wells  are  located.  In  the  Santa  Maria  and 
Lompoc  fields  the  evidence  indicates  that  anticlinal  structure  is  favorable, 
although  probably  not  absolutely  essential,  to  the  accumulation  of  oil. 
Wide,  low  folds  are  characteristic  of  the  structure  in  the  Fernando  within 
the  Santa  Maria  basin  region.  The  producing  horizons  in  the  Orcutt 
field  are  mostly  zones  of  fractured  shale  or  flint  offering  interspaces,  al- 
though beds  of  sand  in  the  Monterey  also  carry  commercial  quantities 
of  oil  locally.  Some  of  the  oil-producing  zones  are  very  thick,  amounting 
to  hundreds  of  feet.  The  oil  occurs  chiefly  in  the  lower  portion  of  the 
formation,  where  brittle,  flinty  shale  is  abundant;  and  it  is  noticeable 
wherever  these  hard,  flinty  layers  appear  at  the  surface  that  they  are 
usually  much  more  contorted  and  fractured  than  the  associated  softer 
shales.  The  wells  of  the  Cat  Canyon  field  probably  obtain  their  product 
from  the  basal  Fernando  or  upper  Monterey  beds  along  the  flanks  of  low- 
dipping  anticlines. 

Development 

The  well  development  in  this  district  is  summarized  in  the  following 
table,  which  indicates  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years: 


442        GEOLOGY   AND    TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

Well  Development  in  the  Santa  Maria  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Abandoned  Completed 

Dec.  31  During  Year          During  Year 

1909  220  4  30 

1910  241  1  45 

1911  255  5  19 

1912  249  29  23 

1913  240° 

0  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

The  wells  range  in  depth  from  1,000  to  4,000  ft.,  the  oil  being  obtained 
from  coarse,  hard  shale  at  the  base  of  the  Monterey;  that  of  the  Cat 
Canyon  from  the  sandy  members  near  the  upper  part  of  the  formation. 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  this  district  from 
beginning  to  date: 

\ 
Yearly  Production  of  Santa  Maria  District 

Production  Production 

Barrels  Barrels 

1902  99,288        1908          7,758,579 

1903  178,140         1909          7,565,000 

1904  669,500         1910          6,947,000 

1905  2,560,966         1911          6,630,000 

1906  4,692,513         1912          5,909,300 

1907  8,651,172 

51,661,458 

This  district  yields  four  distinct  grades  of  petroleum  in  addition  to  the 
heavy  oil  which  flows  from  springs  or  collects  as  asphalt  deposits.  These 
petroleums  vary  widely  in  their  physical  and  chemical  properties,  and  as 
a  consequence  are  utilized  in  many  different  ways,  the  lighter  oils  usually 
for  refining,  the  heavier  for  fuel,  road  dressing,  etc.  The  oil  as  it  comes 
from  the  wells  contains  varying  quantities  of  gas,  often  amounting  to  a 
considerable  percentage..  Some  of  this  gas  is  very  rich  in  gasoline  hydro- 
carbons, which  are  removed  before  utilizing  for  fuel.  The  greater  portion 
of  the  oil  is  refined  at  Port  fiarford  and  Gaviota.  The  range  in  chemical 
constituents  is  shown  in  the  following  tables. 

The  oils  of  the  Cat  Canyon  field-range  in  gravity  from  11°  to  15.5° 
Baum6  (0.9929  to  0.9622  sp.  gr.).  Tne  viscosity  is  high;  they  are 
without  doubt  the  most  viscous  oils  produced  in  California.  The  yield 
of  asphalt  is  very  high,  and  the  sulphur  content  of  these  oils  exceeds  that 
of  most  oils  found  in  the  State. 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       443 

Constituents  of  Orcutt  Field  Oil 

Sp.  gr.  (24.1°  Baume) 0.9084 

Color Greenish 

Per  cent. 

Gasoline (61°      B.-0.7330  sp.  gr.) 5.0 

Engine  distillate (52°      B.-0.7692  sp.  gr.) 17.0 

Kerosene (42°      B.-0 . 8139  sp.  gr.) 6.0 

Stove  oil (33°      B.-0.8588  sp.  gr.) 23.3 

Fuel  distillate (29 . 2°  B.-0 . 8794  sp.  gr.) 16.3 

Reduced  stock (15 . 5°  B.-0 . 9622  sp.  gr.) 12 . 7 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 19.7 


100.0 


Constituents  of  Cat  Canyon  Field  Oil 


Sp.  gr.  (14.4°  Baume) 0 . 9695 

Color Brownish-black 

Per  cent. 

Gasoline (61°      B.-0.7330  sp.  gr.) None 

Engine  distillate (52°      B.-0 . 7692  sp.  gr.) None 

Kerosene (42°      B.-0.8139  sp.  gr.) 8.0 

Stove  oil (33°      B.-0.8588  sp.  gr.) 24.0 

Fuel  distillate (29.5°  B.-0.8778  sp.  gr.) 18.3 

Reduced  stock (15.9°  B.-0. 9596  sp.  gr.) 16.9 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 32.8 

100.0 
SUMMERLAND    DISTRICT 

General  Statement 

The  Summerland  district  owes  its  importance  largely  to  the  fact  that 
its  oil  is  obtained  from  wells  which  penetrate  sands  lying  below  the 
Pacific  ocean  (Fig.  10),  and  one  of  the  most  novel  and  interesting  sights 
along  the  coast  of  California  is  that  of  the  wharves  carrying  the  derricks 
which  mark  the  location  of  these  unique  wells.  The  important  operations 
in  this  district  began  in  1891,  and  a  maximum  of  412  wells  have  been  drilled 
to  date.  The  district  is  reached  by  the  Coast  Line  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  railroad,  and  by  vessels  which  touch  at  the  port  of  Santa  Barbara. 
The  town  of  Summerland,  at  which  is  situated  the  only  productive  oil 
field  so  far  developed  in  the  district,  lies  nearly  6  miles  east  of  Santa 
Barbara,  where  practically  all  the  oil  is  sold  being  transported  in  tank 
wagons  and  cars. 

The  wells  range  in  depth  from  100  to  more  than  600  ft.,  their  initial 


444       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

production  being  as  high  as  100  barrels  per  day;  the  average  during  the 
most  productive  years  was  probably  not  over  5  barrels  per  day  each. 
The  maximum  yield  of  the  district  was  in  1899,  when  about  208,000 
barrels  were  produced.  The  oil  is  dark  brown  or  black  in  color  and  ranges 
in  gravity  from  9°  to  18°  Baume"  (1.0071  to  0.9459  sp.  gr.),  the  average 
being  about  14°  Baume"  (0.9722  sp.  gr.),  and  is  used  principally  for  the 
manufacture  of  asphalt,  for  fuel,  or  for  road  dressing. 


FlG.    10. SUMMERLAND    DISTRICT. 

The  ocean  bluffs  in  front  of  Summerland,  with  wharves  and  wells.     Photograph  for 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  by  G.  H.  Eldridge. 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  this  district  include  9,000 
ft.  of  conglomerate,  sandstone,  and  shale  of  the  Tejon  or  Topatopa 
(Eocene),  and  possibly  Martinez  (lower  Eocene) ;  4,300  ft.  of  conglomerate, 
sandstone,  and  shale  of  the  Sespe,  grading  conformably  into  2,400  ft.  of 
sandstone  and  shale  of  the  Vaqueros  (lower  Miocene) ;  1,900  ft.  of  shale 
and  volcanic  ash  of  the  Monterey  (lower  Miocene) ;  1,000  ft.  of  conglom- 
erate, sandstone,  and  clay  shale  of  the  Fernando  (upper  Miocene-Pliocene) ; 
and  50  ft.  of  gravel,  sand,  and  clay  of  the  Pleistocene;  in  all,  18,650  ft. 
of  sediments  of  Tertiary  age.  The  formations  more  directly  connected 
with  the  oil  production  and  accumulation  are  the  Monterey  and  Fernando. 

The  Monterey  shale,  as  in  many  other  parts  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  is 
here  distinguished  by  its  diatomaceous  character,  and  is  believed  to  be 
the  ultimate  source  of  the  oil.  It  has  a  thickness  of  at  least  1,900  ft.  in 
the  Summerland  region.  Volcanic  ash  occurs  in  the  Monterey  in  two 
zones  of  125  ft.  and  75  ft.  in  thickness  respectively. 

The  Fernando  in  the  region  east  of  Santa  Barbara  consists  of  clay 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY  OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        445 

and  clayey  shale,  sandstone,  and  conglomerate.  The  last  two  contain 
oil  toward  the  base  of  the  formation  in  the  Summerland  field,  and  south 
of  the  latter,  but  only  in  commercial  quantities  in  the  developed  area. 
Sandstone  and  conglomerate  with  some  interbedded  clays  make  up  the 
upper  portion  of  the  Fernando,  the  coarse  sediments  being  composed 
largely  of  water-worn  Eocene  sandstone  with  scattered  pebbles  of  quartz- 
ite  and  other  hard  rocks. 

Structure 

Two  local  flexures  affecting  the  oil-bearing  Fernando  formation  have 
been  recognized  near  this  district.  One  of  these  is  a  well-developed 
anticline  striking  west-northwestward  from  Loon  point,  the  axis  being 
nearly  coincident  with  the  edge  of  the  bluff  for  more  than  half  a  mile 
northwest  of  the  point.  Another  flexure,  which  appears  to  be  a  sharp 
and  possibly  locally  overturned  and  faulted  anticline,  striking  north  of 
west,  occurs  in  the  Fernando  beds  near  the  edge  of  the  bluff  opposite  the 
Becker  and  North  Star  wharves. 

The  wells  of  this  district  for  the  most  part  penetrate  the  beds  of  the 
Fernando  formation.  Those  on  the  terrace  in  the  town,  particularly 
north  of  the  railroad,  are  drilled  in  the  basal  beds  of  the  Fernando;  some 
reach  the  Monterey  shale.  The  oil  is  obtained  from  sands  alternating 
with  clay  beds  in  the  Fernando  formation  (upper  Miocene  or  lower 
Pliocene)  which  dip  almost  due  south  at  angles  ranging  from  nearly  90° 
at  the  north  end  of  the  field  to  nearly  horizontal  at  the  south  end.  Only 
one  productive  sand,  from  10  to  45  ft.  thick,  is  penetrated  by  the  terrace 
wells,  but  in  the  wharf  wells,  two,  and  in  some  wells,  three  oil  sands  occur. 

Development 

The  following  table  gives,  in  a  condensed  form,  the  principal  data 
regarding  the  operation  in  the  district  for  the  last  four  years: 

Well  Development  in  the  Summerland  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Abandoned  Completed 

Dec.  31  During  Year          During  Year 

1909  124  3 

1910  120  4 

1911  161  1  42 

1912  152  9 
1913*  122 

a  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  the  Summerland 
district  from  beginning  to" date: 


446        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 

Yearly  Production  of  Summerland  District 

Production  v  Production 

Year  Barrels  Barrels 

1894  1,500        1904  119,506 

1895  16,904         1905  123,871 

1896  39,792         1906  81,848 

1897  130,136  1907  56,905 

1898  132,217  1908  58,103 

1899  208,370  1909  71,189 

1900  153,750  1910  71,511 

1901  135,900  1911  63,238 

1902  143,552  1912  65,376 

1903  127,926 

1,801,594 

Water,  sludge,  and  gas  accompany  the  oil  in  most  of  the  wells  of  the 
area.  The  production  ranges  from  an  initial  yield  of  oil  containing  prac- 
tically no  water  to  an  emulsion  containing  98  to  99  per  cent,  of  water. 

The  color  of  the  oil  from  the  Fernando  or  main  oil  zone  in  this  district 
ranges  from  the  black  of  the  heaviest  oil  through  dark  brown  to  olive 
brown  for  the  lighter  grades.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  ranges  from  9°  to 
18°  Baume  (1.0071  to  0.9459  sp.  gr.),  the  average  being  between  14°  and 
15°  Baume  (0.9722  and  0.9655  sp.  gr.).  This  is  classed  as  among  the 
heaviest  oils  produced  in  the  State.  The  viscosity  of  the  average  oil  in 
this  district  is  as  high  as  any  found  in  California,  being  65  at  15°  C. 
(59°  F.)  and  3.20  to  3.90  at  85°  C.  (185°  F.)  where  the  viscosity  of  water 
equals  1.00.  The  most  prominent  chemical  characteristics  of  the 
Summerland  oil  are  its  high  percentage  of  asphaltum,  and  the  absence 
from  it  of  any  gasoline.  The  range  in  chemical  constituents  is  shown  in 
the  following  table: 

Constituents  of  Summerland  Oils 

Sp.  gr.  (12. 7°  to  14°  Baume)....... 0.9815     0.9722 

Color..  .   Black       Black 


Gasoline  

Below  150°  C.  . 
150  to  250°  C.. 

250°  to  350°  C. 
350°  C 

Per 

...     O8 

.  ..     8.67 

.  .   22.80 
36  67 

cent. 
0 
O.I9 
3.0 
4.0 
16.3 
19.1 
20.4 
37.1 

Engine  distillate. 
Kerosene  

(48°      B.-0.7865sp.  gr.) 
(41°      B.-0.8187sp.  gr.) 
(33°      B.-0.8588sp.  gr.) 
(28°      B.-0.8860  sp.  gr.) 
(25°      B.-0.  9032  sp.gr.) 
(21.5°B.-0.9241  sp.  gr.)  ' 
(grade  "D") 

Stove  oil  
Gas  oil 

Fuel  oil  

Lubricants  

Asphalt  

30 

98.14       100.0 


8  O'Neill,  Edmond:  Journal  of  the  American  Chemical  Society,  vol.  xxv,  pp.  707  to 
709  (1903).     (Percentage  figures  after  taking  out  water.) 

9  Prutzman,  P.  W.:  Bulletin  No.  32,  California  State  Mining  Bureau,  p.  194  (1904). 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        447 

Some  analyses  show  a  sulphur  content  of  from  iV  to  as  much  as  I 
per  cent.  This  is  a  typical  fuel  oil,  high  in  asphalt. 

SANTA  CLARA  VALLEY  DISTRICT 

The  Santa  Clara  valley  district  is  the  oldest  oil-producing  territory  in 
the  State,  the  first  oil  being  obtained  about  48  years  ago  from  tunnels 
driven  near  Ventura  and  on  the  southern  flanks  of  Sulphur  mountain. 


FIG.  11. — SANTA  CLARA  VALLEY  DISTRICT. 

Axis  of  main  anticline  in  Tar  Creek  shales,  east  side  of  canyon  at  Pico  Canyon  wells. 
Photograph  for  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  by  R.  A. 

The  first  productive  well  in  California  was  drilled  near  Ventura  in  1867. 
The  district  includes  the  region  on  either  side  of  the  Santa  (JIara  valley 
from  Newhall  field  in  Los  Angeles  county,  40  miles  northwest  of  the  city 
of  Los  Angeles,  to  the  Ojai  valley  field  in  Ventura  county,  about  50  miles 
further  west.  The  Santa  Clara  valley  district  produced  practically  all 
the  oil  in  the  State  up  to  1880,  when  the  Puente  Hills  district  was  discov- 
ered. The  bulk  of  the  production  is  of  refining  grade,  its  high  quality 
being  mainly  responsible  for  the  commercial  importance  of  the  district. 
The  production  of  the  district  in  1912  was  746,780  barrels,  most  of  it  being 


448        GEOLOGY    AND    TECHNOLOGY    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS 


FIG.  12. — SANTA  CLARA  VALLEY  DISTRICT. 

View  northwest  from  Oak  Ridge,  showing  Torrey  Canyon  wells.     Photograph  for 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  by  G.  H.  Eldridge. 


FIG.  13. — SANTA  CLARA  VALLEY  DISTRICT. 

Oil  wells  along  the  axis  of  anticline  in  Modelo  Canyon.     Photograph  for  U.  S.  Geolog- 
ical Survey,  by  G.  H.  Eldridge. 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS        449 

transported  to  seaboard  through  pipe  lines,  the  oil  gravitating  from  some 
of  the  fields  to  Ventura  for  a  distance  of  about  50  miles. 

This  district  comprises  a  number  of  isolated  small  fields  which  derive 
their  production  under  most  peculiar  conditions.  Some  are  located  in 
almost  inaccessible  places,  the  productive  territory  being  sometimes  con- 
fined to  a  very  narrow  strip  along  the  crest  of  a  sharp  fold.  The  depths  of 
the  wells  vary  from  200  to  3,700  ft.,  a  large  number  being  less  than  1,000 
ft.  It  is  estimated  that  the  average  depth  of  the  wells  throughout  the 
district  is  somewhat  less  than  for  any  other  district  in  the  State.  These 
fields  may  be  grouped  according  to  their  position  relative  to  the  Santa 
Clara  valley,  as  follows:  .  • 

Fields  North  of  Santa  Clara  River 

Ojai  Valley  and  Sisar  Creek 

Southern  flanks  of  Sulphur  mountain  (Aliso- Wheeler,  Adams,  Salt  Marsh) 

Sespe  fields 

Hopper  Canyon 

Modelo,  (Fig.  13) 

Fields  South  of  Santa  Clara  River 
Bardsdale 
Montebello 

Torrey  Canyon  (Fig.  12) 
Eureka  Canyon 
Pico  Canyon 

Wiley  Canyon  >  (Fig.  11)  Newhall  field. 

Elsmere  Canyon 
Si  mi  Valley 

The  heaviest  oil,  ranging  from  11°  to  16°  Baume*  gravity  (0.9929  to 
0.9589  sp.  gr.),  is  found  in  the  Ojai  Valley,  Hopper  Canyon,  and  Elsmere 
Canyon  fields.  Practically  all  of  the  other  fields  yield  refining  oil  ranging 
from  23°  to  38°  Baum<§  gravity  (0.9150  to  0.8333  sp.  gr.).  The  wells 
vary  in  capacity  from  an  initial  flow  of  500  to  600  barrels  per  day,  to  wells 
which  can  be  profitably  operated  for  a  yield  of  two  barrels  per  day  or  even 
less.  It  is  estimated  that  the  average  daily  production  per  well  for  the 
entire  district  in  November,  1913,  was  6.4  barrels. 

The  oil  is  derived  from  various  geologic  formations  under  several 
conditions  of  structure.  The  most  important  oil-producing  horizons  are 
the  Sespe,  Vaqueros,  and  Modelo  (Monterey),  and  the  commonest 
structural  position  of  accumulation  is  in  anticlines. 

The  country  is  accessible  through  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  railroad,  which  extends  from  Saugus  on  the  main  Valley  line  to 
Montalvo  on  the  main  Coast  line  from  30  to  90  miles  northeast  of  Los 
Angeles.  Roads  extend  into  the  various  fields  from  Santa  Paula,  Fill- 
more,  Piru,  and  Newhall,  the  centers  of  supply  for  the  region.  The  Santa 
Clara  valley  offers  an  excellent  way  for  pipe  lines  through  which  the  oil 


450       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA  OIL   FIELDS 

gravitates  from  the  various  fields  to  Ventura,  whence  a  considerable  part 
of  the  product  is  shipped  by  boat.  The  Union  and  Standard  Oil  com- 
panies own  pipe  lines  down  the  Santa  Clara  valley,  while  several  local 
companies  own  short  lines  connecting  their  properties  with  the  main  lines 
or  loading  racks  on  the  railroad. 

Although  practically  all  the  fields  have  been  operated  for  many  years, 
the  territory  is  by  no  means  all  prospected,  and  additions  to  the  produc- 
tive areas  are  being  made  from  time  to  time. 


Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  district  include  a  base- 
ment complex  of  granitic  and  gneissic  rocks,  on  which  the  following 
sedimentaries  have  been  laid  down  in  ascending  order:  the  Tejon  (Topa- 
topa);  Sespe;  Vaqueros;  Monterey  (Modelo);  and  Fernando.  Oil  is 
found  in  all  of  these  sedimentaries  at  one  point  or  another  throughout 
the  district. 

The  Tejon,  or  Topatopa  formation,  as  it  is  called  locally,  is  the  oldest 
of  the  sedimentary  series  and  is  of  Eocene  age.  It  consists  of  from  3,000 
to  possibly  9,000  ft.  of  alternating  shale  and  hard  sandstone  and  quartzite, 
and  so  far  has  proved  to  be  the  least  important  of  the  commercially  pro- 
ductive oil  formations  in  the  district. 

The  Sespe  formation,  supposed  to  be  of  Oligocene  age,  and  character- 
ized by  its  reddish  color  and  wide  distribution  throughout  the  Santa  Clara 
Valley  district,  overlies  the  Topatopa  and  consists  of  about  3,500  ft.  of 
alternating  hard  sand  and  shale  layers.  It  has  yielded  oil  from  11°  to 
37°  Baume  gravity  (0.9929  to  0.8383  sp.  gr.),  and  is  the  most  important 
producer  of  oil  in  this  district. 

The  Sespe  formation  is  conformably  overlain  by  the  Vaqueros  or 
lower  Miocene,  which  consists  of  from  800  to  3,000  ft.  of  dark-colored 
organic  shale  and  minor  amounts  of  sandstone.  At  most  localities  in 
this  region  the  sandstone  members  of  the  formation  carry  petroleum,  so 
that  the  formation,  when  available  to  the  drill,  offers  inducements  for 
exploitation,  especially  when  the  structural  conditions  are  favorable. 

The  Monterey  series  (locally  called  the  Modelo),  also  of  lower  Miocene 
age,  overlies  the  Vaqueros  and  consists  of  four  principal  members,  as 
follows : 

Thickness 
Feet 

1.  Lower  sandstone 300  to  1,500 

2.  Lower  shale 400  to  1,600 

3.  Upper  sandstone 100  to    900 

4.  Upper  shale 200  or  more 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       451 

The  lower  sandstone  yields  a  high-grade  oil  in  the  Modelo  Canyon 
wells,  while  at  other  points  throughout  the  series  there  is  evidence  of 
petroleum.  The  lower  shale  is  an  important  member,  well  exposed 
along  Pole  and  other  canyons,  where  it  lies  in  sharp  contrast  to  the 
creamy  upper  Modelo  sandstone  above  it. 

The  Fernando  formation,  from  5,000  to  8,000  ft,  thick,  extending 
from  the  upper  Miocene  to  the  Quarternary,  lies  in  an  unconformable 
position  with  relation  to  the  older  beds,  and  is  locally  largely  made  up  of 
the  water-worn  fragments  of  the  latter.  It  is  commonly  incoherent, 
although  hard  layers  of  conglomerate  or  sandstone  are  sometimes  met 
with.  The  Fernando  carries  oil  in  the  Newhall  field,  in  the  region  east  of 
Piru  creek,  and  at  several  isolated  places  along  the  south  side  of  the  Santa 
Clara  river. 


Structure 

The  general  structure  in  this  district  is  dominated  by  an  overturned 
anticline  making  up  the  mountain  range  north  of  and  paralleling  the  pro- 
ductive oil  fields.  The  local  structure  affecting  the  accumulation  of  oil 
in  any  particular  region  is  very  complicated,  sharp  folds  (Figs.  11  and  13), 
faults,  cross-folding  and  overturning  being  common.  These  conditions 
account  for  the  lack  of  continuity  of  the  productive  areas,  particularly 
north  of  the  river.  The  structure  south  of  the  river  is  controlled  by  an 
asymmetric  anticline,  the  axis  of  which  roughly  parallels  the  Santa  Clara 
valley  for  15  miles.  The  accumulation  of  oil  is  by  no  means  uniform 
throughout  this  fold,  commercial  quantities  occurring  only  in  certain 
favorable  areas  resulting  from  undulations  in  the  fold  itself,  such  being  the 
case  in  the  Montebello  and  Bardsdale  fields  with  apparently  unproductive 
local  areas  between  them.  Owing  to  the  lack  of  uniformity  in  structural 
and  sedimentary  conditions,  the  productive  zones  are  encountered  at 
varying  depths  and  at  different  horizons,  and  an  exact  correlation  of 
the  same,  even  in  near-by  properties,  is,  at  times,  almost  impossible. 
This  irregularity  accounts  also  to  some  degree  for  the  diversity  of  product 
obtained,  the  oil  ranging  in  gravity  from  10°  to  35°  Baum6  (1.0  to  0.8485 
sp.  gr.)  and  even  higher. 


Development 

The  following  tables  give,  in  a  condensed  form,  important  data  regard- 
ing the  principal  fields  or  groups  of  wells  in  this  district,  and  the  develop- 
ment which  has  taken  place  during  the  last  four  years. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  average  depth  of  the  producing  wells  is  some- 


452       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OP   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

what  less  than  1,000  ft.  and  that  about  five-sixths  of  the  wells  produce  oil 
over  18°  Baume*  gravity  (0.9459  sp.  gr.). 


North  of  Santa  Clara  River  Began  Producing 

Ojai  Valley 12°  to  18°  B.,  0 . 9929  to  0 . 9459  sp.gr 1885 

Sisar  Creek 21°  to  27°  B.,  0.9271  to  0.8917  sp.  gr 1885 

Southern  flanks  of  Sul-  Tunnels  in  1861 

phur  Mountain 20°  to  32°  B.,  0 . 9333  to  0 . 8641  sp.gr Wells  in  1875 

Sespe  fields 12°  to  34°  B.,  0 . 9790  to  0 . 8536  sp.  gr 1885 

Hopper  Canyon 14°  to  15°  Bv  0 . 9722  to  0 . 9655  sp.  gr 1887 

Modelo 26°  to  28°  B.,  0.8974  to  0.8860  sp.gr 1898 

South  of  Santa  Clara  River 

Bardsdale 27°  to  29°  B.,  0.8917  to  0.8805  sp.  gr 1896 

Montebello 33°  to  35°  B.,  0.8588  to  0.8484  sp.  gr 1911 

Torrey  Canyon 24°  to  30°  B.,  0 . 9090  to  0 . 8750  sp.  gr 1896 

Eureka  Canyon 26°                   0 . 8974                    sp.  gr 1893 

Tapo  Canyon 21°                   0.9271                    sp.  gr 1882 

Pico  Canyon 38°                   0.8333                    sp.gr 1875 

Wiley  Canyon 30°                   0 . 8750                    sp.  gr 1900 

Elsmere  Canyon 14°                   0.9722                    sp.  gr 1889 

Simi  Valley 36°                   0.8433                    sp.gr 1912 


Well  Development  in  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  District  from  1909  to  1912, 

Inclusive 


Producing  Dec.  31 

1909  335 

1910  341 

1911  333 

1912  347 
1913°  406 

•Estimated  for  November,  1913. 


Abandoned  During 

Year 

9 

1 

9 

11 


Completed  During 
Year 
18 
32 
19 
55 


Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  estimated  production  of  this  district 
from  beginning  to  date.  The  figures  from  1870  to  1882  represent  the 
total  production  of  the  State,  and  those  from  1883  to  1898  include  the 
production  of  the  Puente  Hills  district,  the  only  other  producing  region 
in  the  State  at  that  time. 


GEOLOGY  AND  TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       453 


Yearly  Production  of  Santa  Clara  Valley  District 

Production  Year  Production 

Barrels  Barrels 

1870  3,600  1891  323,600 

1871  5,200  1892  385,049 

1872  6,500  1893  470,179 

1873  7,200  1894  524,469 

1874  7,700  1895  461,883 

1875  8,400  1896  298,866 

1876  9,600  1897  631,135 
1877J            13,000  1898  792,990 
1878             15,227  1899  729,718 
1879 1            19,858  1900  734,684 
1880 '            40,552  1901  563,127 

1881  99,862  1902  584,764 

1882  128,636  1903    «  448,295 

1883  142,857  1904  617,770 

1884  262,000  1905  437,970 

1885  325,000  1906  390,101 

1886  [377,145  1907  447.223 

1887  678,572  1908  469,942 

1888  690,333  1909  370,000 

1889  303,220  1910  597,000 

1890  307,360  1911  620,228 

1912  746,780 


15,097,595 
The  range  in  chemical  constituents  is  shown  in  the  following  tables: 

Constituents  of  Santa  Clara  Valley  District  Oils10 
Ojai  Valley  Field 

Sp.  gr."(11.8°  to  18.8°  Baume') 0.9873        0.9409 

Color. ." Black          Black 

Per  Cent.  Per  Cent. 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.-0.7692  sp.  gr.) 0  11 

Kerosene (42°  B.-0.8139  sp.  gr.)  .....  0  7 

Heavy  distillate 58  59 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 42  23 


100  100 


10  Prutzman,  Paul  W. :  Petroleum  in  Southern  California,  Bulletin  No.  63,  Cali- 
fornia State  Mining  Bureau,  (1913). 


454        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFOKNIA    OIL   FIELDS 


Sespe  Field 

Sp.  gr.  (13°  to  33.7°  Baume') 0.9790  0.8555 

Color Black  Brownish 

Per  Cent.  Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°  B.-0.7330  sp.  gr.) .....           0  20 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.-0.7692  sp.  gr.) 0  10 

Kerosene (42°  B -0.8139  sp.  gr.) 0  11 

Heavy  distillate 100  44 

Asphalt. (grade  "D") . . .                                0  15 

100  100 

Torrey  Canyon  Field 

Sp.  gr.  (23.9°  to  29.9°  Baume') 0.9097  0.8756 

Color Black  Black 

Per  Cent.  Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°  B -0.7330  sp.  gr.) 1  17 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.-0.7692  sp.  gr.) 6  0 

Kerosene (42°  B.-0.8139  sp.  gr.) 20  15 

Heavy  distillate 53  66 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 20  17 

100  100 

Bardsdale  Field 

Sp.  gr.  (19.8°  to  27.6°  Baume) 0.9346  0.8883 

Color Black  Black 

Per  Cent. 

Gasoline . (61°  B.,  0.7330  sp.  gr.) 18 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.,  0.7692  sp.  gr.) 0 

Kerosene (42°  B.,  0.8139  sp.  gr.) 17 

Heavy  distillate 33 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 29 

97 

Sisar  Creek  Valley 

Sp.  gr.  (21.6°B.  to  27.3°  Baume) 0.9234  0.8900 

Color Brown-black      Brown-black 

Per  Cent.  Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°  B.,  0.7330  sp.  gr.). ...               0  11 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.,  0 . 7692  sp.  gr.) ....              10  13 

Kerosene .  .  .  .  (42°  B.,  0.8139  sp.  gr.) ....             11  13 

Heavy  distillate 66  50 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 13  13 


100 


100 


GEOLOGY   AND    TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS        455 

Los  ANGELES  DISTRICT 

The  Los  Angeles  district  includes  the  City  field  (Fig.  14),  lying  in  the 
city  of  Los  Angeles,  and  the  Salt  Lake  field,  immediately  west  of  the  city 
limits  about  4|  miles  from  its  business  center.  The  district  lies  from  15 
to  20  miles  from  the  coast.  The  Salt  Lake  field  is  connected  with  Los 
Angeles  by  a  pipe  line;  the  oil  from  the  City  field  is  delivered  in  tank 
wagons.  The  product  is  sold  in  Los  Angeles  and  neighboring  towns  both 
in  a  crude  and  a  refined  state. 

The  City  field  was  discovered  in  1892  when  a  155-ft.  shaft  was  sunk 
near  a  small  deposit  of  brea  on  Colton  street.  The  first  successful  well 
was  drilled  the  latter  part  of  1892  on  Second  street,  and  by  the  end  of 


FIG.  14. — Los  ANGELES  DISTRICT. 
Part  of  City  field  and  City  of  Los  Angeles. 

1895  there  were  more  than  300  wells.  This  field  covers  a  narrow  belt 
about  5J  miles  long  running  through  the  northern  part  of  the  city;  the 
total  area  is  about  2  square  miles.  The  wells  vary  in  depth  from  500  to 
1,200  ft.,  the  oil  produced  being  between  12°  and  19°  Baume"  gravity 
(0.9859  and  0.9396  sp.  gr.).  The  limits  of  the  fieldfare  well  defined;  the 
wells  have  always  been  small  producers,  necessitating  pumping,  and  owing 
to  the  great  number  of  wells  drilled  within  such  a  small  area  the  field  has 


456        GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OP   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

been  drained  at  a  rapid  rate  and  the  water  allowed  to  enter  the  oil  sands 
in  many  areas.  In  November,  19 13,  there  were  about  420  wells  producing 
an  average  of  about  2.4  barrels  per  day  per  well. 

The  first  well  in  the  Salt  Lake  field  was  drilled  in  1901  by  the  Salt 
Lake  Oil  Co.,  and  since  1902  this  field  has  become  the  most  important 
in  the  Los  Angeles  district.  The  wells  are  deeper  than  in  the  City  field, 
varying  between  1,200  and  3,000  ft.,  the  average  gravity  of  the  oil  being 
between  16°  and  18°  BaumS  (0.9589  and  0.9459  sp.  gr.).  Considerable 
gas  under  strong  pressure  accompanies  the  oil,  which  causes  the  wells  to 
gush  during  their  early  life.  This  gas  is  used  as  fuel  in  the  operation  of 
the  properties  of  the  field.  The  limits  of  this  field  are  ascertained  in 
several  directions.  It  is  estimated  that  there  were  290  wells  in  this  field 
during  November,  1913,  producing  an  average  of  about  23  barrels  per 
day  per  well. 

The  discovery  of  the  Los  Angeles  district  marks  an  important  forward 
step  in  the  fuel-oil  industry  of  the  State,  this  district  and  Summer  land 
furnishing  practically  all  the  fuel  oil  until  the  discovery  of  the  Kern 
River  field  in  1900. 


Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  this  district  consist  of  the 
following,  in  the  order  of  their  age  beginning  with  the  oldest:  more  than 
2,000  ft.  of  indurated  sandstone,  believed  to  be  largely  of  Vaqueros  or 
lower  Miocene  age,  overlain  by  about  2,000  ft.  of  shale  and  soft,  thin- 
bedded  sandstone  of  Monterey  (Puente),  also  of  lower  Miocene  age; 
pre-Fernando  basalt  and  diabase  intrusions  cutting  the  Monterey;  3,000 
ft.  or  more  of  soft,  thin-  and  thick-bedded  sandstone,  thin-bedded  shale, 
and  heavy-bedded  conglomerate  composing  the  Fernando  formation, 
of  upper  Miocene  and  Pliocene  age;  and  a  capping  of  Pleistocene  gravels 
and  sands  of  variable  thickness. 

The  oil  in  the  Los  Angeles  district  is  derived  largely  from  the  upper 
500  ft.  of  the  Monterey  and  the  basal  beds  of  the  Fernando. 

Structure 

The  most  prominent  structural  feature  in  the  district  is  the  great 
flexure  in  the  Vaqueros  and  Monterey  sandstone  and  shale  which  lies 
northeast  of  the  business  portion  of  Los  Angeles  and  trends  N.  60°  W. 
This  fold  is  known  as  the  Elysian  Park  anticline.  This  anticline  might 
almost  be  regarded  as  an  elliptical  structural  dome,  as  it  appears  to  plunge 
at  both  its  northwest  and  southeast  ends.  Not  far  from  the  northwest 
extremity  of  the  anticline,  where  it  approaches  the  fault  zone  lying  along 
the  southern  base  of  the  Santa  Monica  mountains,  the  fold  develops  into 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS       457 

a  fault.  The  City  field  is  developed  in  strata  at  the  top  of  the  Monterey 
and  possibly  base  of  the  Fernando  formations,  on  the  southern  limb  of 
the  Elysian  Park  anticline.  The  trend  of  the  productive  belt,  however, 
instead  of  conforming  to  the  axis  of  the  main  fold  follows  the  strike  of  the 
formations  on  the  south  side  of  a  divergent  subordinate  line  of  disturbance, 
and  hence  has  assumed  a  direction  closely  approximating  east-and-west. 
The  oil  appears  to  have  accumulated  in  the  sands  of  the  southern  limb 
of  the  anticline  just  below  the  point  where  the  steeply  dipping  beds 
bend  toward  the  horizontal  before  passing  over  the  axis  of  the  fold.  The 
structure  in  the  Salt  Lake  field  appears  to  be  that  of  a  minor  flexure 
developed  on  the  flanks  of  the  fold  along  the  southern  limb  of  which 
the  other  Los  Angeles  fields  are  located. 

Development 

The  well  development  in  the  Los  Angeles  district  is  summarized  in 
the  following  table,  which  indicates  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years : 

Well  Development  in  the  Los  Angeles  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Abandoned  Completed 

Dec.  31  During  Year  During  Year 

1909  697  15  8 

1910  703  32  21 

1911  701  27  25 

1912  699  24  22 

1913  710a  

a  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 

The  wells  in  the  City  field  range  in  depth  from  500  to  1,200  ft.;  those 
in  the  Salt  Lake  field  from  1,200  to  over  4,000  ft. 

Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  this  district  from 
beginning  to  date: 

Yearly  Production  of  Los  Angeles  District 

Production  Production 

Year  Year  „ 

Barrels  Barrels 

1894  180,000          1904          1,190,000 

1895  729,695          1905          2,672,349 

1896  900,000          1906          2,586,779 

1897  1,072,000  1907  3,659,088 

1898  1,168,000  1908  3,779,311 

1899  1,032,036  1909  3,766,415 

1900  1,500,000  1910  3,409,000 

1901  2,060,000  1911  2,970,000 

1902  1,835,000  1912  2,670,463 

1903  1,680,000 

38,860,136 


458       GEOLOGY  AND  TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

The  oils  of  the  City  field  are  uniform  in  quality,  although  they  vary 
considerably  in  gravity.  They  contain  considerable  sulphur,  and  owing 
to  the  entire  absence  of  light  products  are  of  little  value  for  refining, 
being  used  almost  entirely  for  fuel.  The  oils  produced  in  the  Salt  Lake 
field  show  a  marked  similarity  in  general  properties,  being  characterized 
by  a  high  percentage  of  sulphur.  The  heavy  oils  are  highly  viscous,  and 
the  yield  of  asphalt  is  considerable.  The  following  analyses  give  the 
composition  of  typical  oils  of  the  Los  Angeles  district: 

Composition  of  City  Field  Oil n 

Sp.gr.  (16.5°  Baum<§) 0.9557 

Viscosity  at  185°  F 2.83    Redwood 

Sulphur 0.85  per  cent,  by  weight 

Thermal  value 18,787    B.t.u. 

Color Brownish  black 

Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°  B.-0.7330  sp.  gr.) None 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.-0. 7692  sp.  gr.) None 

Kerosene (42°  B.-0.8139  sp.  gr.) None 

Stove  oil (33°  B.-0.8588  sp.  gr.) 7.0 

Middlings  and  lubricants (25°  B.-0.9032  sp.  gr.) 69.0 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 21.8 

Loss  and  water 2.2 

100.0 

Composition  of  Salt  Lake  Field  Oil u 

Sp.  gr.  (17.6°  Baum6) 0.9485 

Viscosity  at  60°  F 78.63  Redwood 

Viscosity  at  185°  F 2.83  Redwood 

Flash  point Below  60°  F.,  Abel-Pensky  test 

Color Black 

Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°  B.-0.7330  sp.  gr.)  ....  4.0 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.-0.7692  sp.  gr.)  . . . .  6.8 

Kerosene (42°  B.-0.8139  sp.  gr.)  ....  6.5 

Stove  oil (33°  B.-0.8588  sp.  gr.)  ....  4.0 

Middlings  and  lubricants (264°  B.-0.8951  sp.  gr.) 51.4 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 26.8 

Loss..  0.5 


100.0 

PUENTE  HILLS  DISTRICT 

The  Puente  Hills  district  is  developed  along  the  southern  face  of  the 
Puente  hills,  beginning  at  a  point  about  12  miles  slightly  south  of  east 
of  the  city  of  Los  Angeles  and  extending  in  a  general  east-southeasterly 

"Prutzman,  Paul  W.:  Petroleum  in  Southern  California,  Bulletin  No.  63,  Cali- 
fornia State  Mining  Bureau  (1913). 


GEOLOGY   AND    TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS       459 

direction  for  22  miles  to  Santa  Ana  river.  The  hills  cover  an  area,  roughly, 
of  about  140  square  miles;  their  western  and  northern  parts  lie  in  Los 
Angeles  county,  the  southeastern  part  being  divided  between  San  Ber- 
nardino county  on  the  north  and  Orange  county  on  the  south.  This 
district  is  situated  but  35  miles  from  Port  Los  Angeles,  the  principal  deep- 
water  harbor  of  southern  California,  and  was  the  second  district  discov- 
ered in  California,  the  first  producing  well  being  finished  in  1880.  Until 
1893  the  Puente  Hills  and  Santa  Clara  valley  districts  yielded  practically 


FIG.  15. — PUENTB  HILLS  DISTRICT. 

Whittier  oil  field,  showing  development  along  property  lines.     Photograph  for  U.  S. 

Geological  Survey,  by  R.  A. 

all  the  oil  produced  in  California.  This  district  comprises  the  Whittier, 
Coyote,  Puente,  and  Olinda  (Fullerton)  fields. 

The  wells  in  the  Whittier  field  (Fig.  15)  are  small  producers  and  range 
in-depth  from  600  to  3,500  ft.,  the  average  depth  being  close  to  1,650  ft. 
The  oil  produced  varies  between  15°  and  24°  Baume*  gravity  (0.9655  and 
0.9091  sp.  gr.). 

The  Coyote  field  is  "deep  territory,"  the  wells  producing  large 
quantities  of  oil  by  natural  flow.  The  average  depth  of  the  wells  is  about 
3,300  ft.,  the  maximum  about  4,500  ft.,  the  oil  being  between  20°  and  33° 


460       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFOKNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

Baume"  gravity  (0.9333  and  0.8589  sp.  gr.) .  The  average  daily  production 
per  well  in  the  Whittier  and  Coyote  fields  is  at  present  about  22.8  barrels; 
that  of  the  Coyote  field  alone  probably  several  times  this,  as  certain  of 
the  wells  produce  from  1,500  to  3,000  barrels  daily. 

In  the  Puente  field  the  first  well  was  drilled  in  1880,  and  wells  drilled 
in  the  years  of  1886  and  1887  are  still  pumping.  The  average  depth  of 
the  wells  in  this  field  is  somewhat  over  1,300  ft.;  the  average  producing 
life  has  been  about  16  years;  the  gravity  of  the  oil  varies  between  21° 
and  32°  Baume"  (0.9271  and  0.8642  sp.  gr.).  At  present  individual  wells 
yield  an  average  of  1.4  barrels  per  day. 

The  Olinda  or  Fullerton  field  began  producing  in  1900.  In  the 
Olinda  and  Brea  Canyon  areas  there  is  a  wide  diversity  in  gravity  and 
output  for  the  different  localities.  The  wells  range  between  1,500  and 
3,500  ft.  in  depth  and  produce  oil  ranging  in  gravity  between  15°  and  34° 
Baume*  (0.9655  and  0.8536  sp.gr.).  In  certain  areas  great  quantities  of 
gas  containing  commercial  quantities  of  gasoline  are  produced  with  the 
oil,  the  gasoline  being  extracted  by  compression  or  freezing.  The  average 
daily  production  per  well  in  this  field  is  now  about  71.5  barrels. 

Geology 

The  formations  involved  in  the  geology  of  the  district  include  the 
Puente  (Vaqueros  and  Monterey)  formation,  largely  sandstone  and  shale 
of  lower  Miocene  age,  and  believed  to  be  the  ultimate  source  of  the  oil 
in  the  district;  post-Monterey  diabase,  probably  contemporaneous  with 
similar  rocks  found  elsewhere  throughout  the  Coast  Ranges;  4,000  ft. 
of  clay,  sandstone,  and  conglomerate  of  the  Fernando  formation,  largely 
Pliocene  in  age;  and  superficial  Pleistocene  deposits  of  sand  and  gravel. 
The  Puente  formation  has  been  divided  on  lithologic  grounds  into  a 
lower  shale  2,000  ft.  thick;  a  lower  sandstone  300  to  1,000  ft.  thick;  and 
an  upper  shale  300  to  400  ft.  thick.  The  lighter  grades  of  oil,  such  as 
those  produced  in  the  Puente,  Olinda,  and  Brea  Canyon  fields,  are  be- 
lieved to  come  from  the  Puente  formation,  while  the  heavier  grades  are 
derived  largely  from  the  coarser  sediments  of  the  Fernando. 

Structure 

The  structure  of  the  Puente  Hills  is  that  of  an  anticline,  contracted 
in  the  western  part,  expanded  in  the  eastern.  The  main  axis  of  the 
flexure  is  not  everywhere  easy  of  recognition,  owing  to  the  prominence 
of  nearly  parallel  secondary  folds  that  exist  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  hills.  The  general  and  local  structure  is  affected  in  places 
by  faults  of  varying  intensity.  The  Coyote  hills  follow  the  axis  of  a 
well-defined  anticline,  paralleling  the  general  east-west  trend  of  the 
Puente  hills. 


GEOLOGY  AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF  THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL  FIELDS      461 

Development 

The  well  development  of  this  district  is  summarized  in  the  following 
table,  which  shows  the  progress  in  the  last  four  years: 


Well  Development  in  the  Puente  Hills  District  from  1909  to  1912,  Inclusive 

Producing  Abandoned  Completed 

Dec.  31  During  Year  During  Year 

1909  422  7  14 

1910  431  4  53 

1911  454  57  43 

1912  470  46  32 

1913  499« 

*  Estimated  for  November,  1913. 


Production 

The  following  table  gives  the  yearly  production  of  the  district  from 
beginning  to  date: 


Yearly  Production  of  Puente  Hills  District 

v                            Production  Production 

Year  Year  „ 

Barrels  Barrels 

1882-1898           Included    with    Produc-  1905  2,126,772 

tion  under  Santa  Clara  Val-  1906  2,804,000 

ley  district  1907  2,333,000 

1899  217,599  1908  4,181,000 

1900  511,550  1909  3,963,000 

1901  753,198  1910  5,641,165 

1902  1,043,463  1911  6,425,000 

1903  1,732,153  1912  6,881,650 

1904  2,329,655 

40,943;205 


The  oil  produced  varies  greatly  in  composition,  the  greater  portion 
being  of  light  grade  and  utilized  by  refineries  near  Los  Angeles.  The 
following  analyses  give  the  physical  and  chemical  characteristics  of 
typical  oils  of  this  district,  and  serve  to  emphasize  the  wide  range  in 
variation  of  the  different  constituents: 


462       GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 


Constituents  of  Puente  Hills  District  Oils.12 

Whittier  Field 

Color Brown-black 

Gravity  (14.2°  to  23.1°  Baume") 0.9709 

Sulphur,  per  cent 0.9 


Gasoline (61°  B.,  0.7330  sp.  gr.) . 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.,  0.7692  sp.  gr.), 

Kerosene (42°  B.,  0 . 8139  sp.  gr.) 

Heavy  distillate (28°  B.,  0.8861  sp.  gr.) . 

Asphalt. (grade  "D") 


Per  Cent. 

0 

0 

0 

73.0 
27.0 


100.0 


Green-black 
0.9144 
0.7 

Per  Cent. 

8.0 

5.0 

8.0 
65.0 
14.0 

100.0 


Coyote  Field 

Color Brown-black 

Gravity  (21°  to  30.7°  Baume") 0.9271 

Sulphur 


Gasoline (61°  B.,  0.7330  sp.  gr.)  . 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.,  0.7692  sp.  gr.) . 

Kerosene (42°  B.,  0.8139  sp.  gr.) , 

Heavy  distillate (28°  B.,  0.8861  sp.  gr.) 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 


Per  Cent. 


Brownish 
0.8712 


Per  Cent. 
9.0 
5.0 
17.0 
43.0 
26.0 


100.0 


Puente  Field 


Color 

Gravity  (21.5°  to  32.5°  Baume"). 
Sulphur  per  cent 


Gasoline (61°  B.,  0.7330  sp.  gr.) 

Engine  distillate (52°  B.,  0.7692  sp.  gr.) 

Kerosene (42°  B.,  0.8139  sp.  gr.) 

Heavy  distillate (28°  B.,  0.8861  sp.  gr.) , 

Asphalt (grade 


D") 


0.9241 


100.0 


Brown-black 
0.8616 
0.4 

Per  Cent. 
15.0 
13.0 
13.0 
46.0 
13.0 


100.0 


12  Prutzman,  Paul  W. :  Petroleum  in  Southern  California,  Bulletin  No.  63,  Cali- 
fornia State  Mining  Bureau,  (1913). 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL  FIELDS      463 

Fullerton  Field 

Color Black-green  Black 

Gravity  (15°  to  34.5°  Baum6) 0.9655  0.8511 

Sulphur,  per  cent 1.2  0.4 

Per  Cent.  Per  Cent. 

Gasoline (61°  B.,  0.7330  sp.gr.) 0  25.0 

Engine  distiUate (52°  B.,  0.7692  sp.  gr.) 0  0 

Kerosene (42°  B.,  0.8139  sp.  gr.) 4.0  27.0 

Heavy  distiUate (28°  B.,  0.8861  sp.  gr.) 67.0  34.0 

Asphalt (grade  "D") 29.0  14.0 


100.0  100.0 


DRILLING  METHODS 


The  drilling  methods  most  commonly  employed  in  California  are 
the  standard,  rotary,  and  circulating  systems. 

With  the  standard  rig  the  hole  is  made  by  the  percussion  effect  of 
a  heavy  steel  bar  suspended  from  a  manila  rope  or  wire  line,  the  motion 
being  imparted  by  an  oscillating  beam  connected  with  a  steam  engine 
or  electric  motor.  A  characteristic  of  this  method  is  that  it  necessitates 
the  periodical  suspension  of  drilling  in  order  to  remove  the  accumulated 
debris,  an  operation  which  is  greatly  facilitated  by  the  water  which  is 
let  into  the  well  from  the  strata  penetrated  or  poured  into  the  casing  by 
the  drillers. 

In  the  rotary  method  the  hole  is  made  as  a  result  of  the  abrasive 
action  of  a  bit  or  shoe  screwed  to  the  end  of  a  revolving  column  of  casing, 
the  de"bris  being  removed  or  washed  to  the  surface  and  the  entire  opera- 
tion greatly  facilitated  by  the  action  of  a  stream  of  water  forced  through 
the  drill  pipe  to  the  space  between  it  and  the  wall  of  the  hole  or  to  the 
space  between  casings.  It  is  therefore  apparent  that  by  the  use  of  the 
rotary  method,  in  certain  cases,  considerable  time  is  saved  over  the 
standard  owing  to  the  automatic  removal  of  the  drillings. 

The  circulating  system,  which  has  been  successfully  used,  particularly 
in  the  Coalinga  field,  includes  the  string  of  tools  of  the  standard  and  the 
circulating  water  arrangement  of  the  rotary.  The  circulator  contains 
some  of  the  advantages  as  well  as  disadvantages  of  the  standard  and 
rotary  systems,  and  in  certain  territory  its  use  has  been  found  very 
satisfactory. 

As  the  formations  encountered  in  the  different  fields  vary  as  to 
character  and  thickness,  the  general  use  of  a  single  method  is  out  of  the 
question;  in  fact,  two  and  even  the  three  systems  are  employed  in  some 
fields.  In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  the  standard  is  used  successfully 
in  territory  where  considerable  quantities  of  hard  "shells"  are  en- 


464      GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE   CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS 

countered,  or  where  conditions  are  not  well  known,  as  in  the  case  of 
"wild-cat"  territory,  or  in  undeveloped  properties  in  productive  fields. 
The  standard  is  also  used  for  finishing  some  rotary  wells,  it  being  consid- 
ered that  there  is  less  chance  with  the  standard  tools  of  missing  an  oil- 
bearing  bed,  by  going  through  it  without  identification.  This  system 
is  the  one  in  most  general  use  in  California,  and  has  been  employed  ex- 
clusively in  the  Kern  River  district,  and  to  a  greater  or  less  extent 
throughout  all  the  fields  in  the  State. 

The  rotary  system  is  more  adapted  for  drilling  through  unconsolidated 
sandstones,  clays,  and  shales,  such  as  are  encountered  in  certain  parts 
of  the  Sunset-Midway  and  Coalinga  districts.  Its  use  is  very  efficient 
in  territory  where  oil  or  gas  is  encountered  under  great  pressure,  it  being 
a  great  deal  easier  to  control  these  large  flows  by  means  of  the  rotary  than 
by  the  standard  or  circulating  systems.  The  rotary  is  most  useful  where 
it  is  possible  to  land  the  water  string  near  the  oil  sand,  thus  causing  a 
great  saving  in  pipe,  as  often  the  well  can  be  finished  with  two  strings 
instead  of  four  or  five,  as  in  the  case  of  standard  tools.  Some  operators 
claim  that  by  the  use  of  improved  drilling  bits  the  field  of  usefulness  of 
the  rotary  can  be  extended  to  territory  where  the  harder  rocks  are 
common. 

In  certain  of  the  oil  districts  it  has  been  found  economical  to  drill 
the  unconsolidated  sands  and  clays  near  the  surface  with  the  rotary 
and  finish  the  well  with  the  standard,  a  combination  rig  being  employed. 
The  field  of  usefulness  of  the  circulating  system  is  a  matter  for  careful 
experimenting,  and  undoubtedly  in  many  cases  this  method  can  replace 
advantageously  either  or  both  the  standard  and  the  rotary. 

Steam  engines  generally  are  used  in  drilling,  although  in  compara- 
tively shallow  wells  drilled  with  the  standard  rig  electric  motors  have 
been  successfully  employed  of  late.  Portable  rigs  of  the  standard  type 
are  being  economically  used  in  some  shallow  areas  in  the  Lost  Hills  and 
Santa  Clara  valley  districts. 

Derricks. — In  order  to  place  and  remove  the  casing  in  the  well  a 
wooden  frame,  or  derrick,  is  built  over  the  hole.  The  derricks  vary  in 
height  between  87  and  130  ft.,  the  smaller  size  being  used  when  compara- 
tively shallow  wells  are  drilled  by  the  standard  method,  the  larger  size 
being  employed  when  drilling  holes  which  are  expected  to  attain  great 
depths. 

Drilling  Lines  and  Cables. — When  drilling  by  the  rotary  or  circulating 
systems,  the  tools  are  suspended  from  the  walking  beam  by  either  a 
manila  cable  or  a  steel  wire  line.  It  is  customary  to  employ  the  cable 
for  the  first  1,000  ft.  of  hole,  after  which,  owing  to  the  buoyancy  of  the 
thick  cable  in  the  mud-laden  water,  the  cable  is  replaced  by  a  wire 
line.  The  former  is  from  If  to  2J  in.  in  diameter,  the  lines  varying 
between  f  and  1J  in. 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS      465 

Casing. — In  drilling,  it  is  the  aim  to  finish  the  well  with  as  few 
strings  of  casings  as  possible.  Usually  the  hole  is  first  lined  for  a  few 
hundred  feet  with  a  16-in.  stove-pipe  or  screw  casing,  which  is  employed 
mainly  to  hold  back  the  loose  surface  formation.  The  hole  proper  starts 
with  casing  having  an  inside  diameter  of  12  J  in.  and  continues  with  10-, 
8J-,  and  6|-in.  casings,  the  sizes  being  reduced  with  a  view  to  finishing 
the  well  with  a  6|-in.  or  larger  casing.  As  water-bearing  strata 
generally  occur  above,  between,  or  below  the  oil  horizon,  and  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  the  water  be  excluded,  it  is  necessary  (even 
where  it  is  possible  to  reach  the  oil  sands  with  the  first  casing)  to  utilize 
one  or  more  strings  for  shutting  off  the  water  before  reaching  the  oil- 
producing  zone.  In  order  properly  to  exclude  the  water  the  cementing 
process  is  generally  employed.  By  this  method  cement  is  forced  be- 
tween the  casing  and  the  wall  of  the  hole.  The  casings  vary  in  weight 
from  20  to  70  Ib.  per  foot  and  are  of  the  screw-joint  type  in  20-ft.  lengths. 
These  are  perforated  either  before  being  put  into  the  hole  or  after  in- 
stallation, to  admit  the  inflow  of  oil  and  exclude  the  accompanying  sand. 

COST  OF  DRILLING 

Owing  to  the  lack  of  uniformity  in  the  system  followed  by  operators 
in  segregating  cost  data  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  reliable  information  re- 
garding the  cost  of  drilling  in  the  different  districts.  Even  when  com- 
paring drilling  costs  on  neighboring  properties  it  is  necessary  to  ascertain 
what  items  of  expense  have  been  included.  The  following  figures  rep- 
resent a  rough  estimated  average  of  drilling  cost  in  California,  the 
actual  cost  for  individual  wells  of  the  depths  noted  varying  at  times 
from  50  per  cent,  over  to  50  per  cent,  below  the  average  figure  given. 

Estimated  Average  Cost  of  Oil-Well  Drilling  in  California   . 

D'P*  Cost 

Feet 

1,000  $10,000.00 

1,500  17,000.00 

2,000  25,000.00 

2,500  35,000.00 

3,000  50,000.00 

3,500  70,000.00 

4,000  100,000.00 

In  properties  where  many  wells  are  drilled,  these  figures  can  be  re- 
duced materially.  For  instance,  the  average  cost  of  drilling  wells  about 
1,000  ft.  deep  in  some  properties  in  the  Kern  River  field  varies  from 
$5,000  to  $6,000;  the  average  cost  of  a  great  number  of  wells  about  1,800 


466      GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL    FIELDS 

ft.  deep  in  the  Coalinga  and  Midway  districts  being  about  $22,000,  and 
that  of  several  wells  about  3,100  ft.  deep  in  the  Coalinga  district  about 
$44,000. 

RECOVERY  OF  OIL 

With  the  exception  of  the  cases  where  it  reaches  the  surface  by 
natural  flow,  the  oil  in  California  is  pumped  by  means  of  a  steel-barreled 
special  oil-well  pump,  screwed  at  the  end  of  a  column  of  tubing  2  to  3  in. 
in  diameter.  These  pumps  are  operated  with  metal  rods,  the  motion 
being  imparted  by  means  of  steam  engines,  gas  engines,  pumping  powers, 
or  electric  motors.  The  average  speed  is  20  strokes  per  minute,  the 
length  of  the  stroke  being  about  23  in.  The  estimated  maximum 
capacity,  when  no  gas  accompanies  the  oil,  is  close  to  400  barrels  per 
day.  As  considerable  sand  generally  accompanies  the  oil  in  practically 
all  the  fields,  a  great  deal  of  trouble  is  occasioned  by  the  wearing  of  the 
pump  barrels  and  valves  by  the  sand,  and  this  precludes  the  use  of  any 
but  the  smooth,  tight-fitting  steel  pumping  barrel.  In  cases  where 
the  amount  of  water  in  the  oil  renders  the  capacity  of  these  pumps 
insufficient  to  recover  an  economical  volume  of  oil  the  use  of  the  air-lift 
has  been  found  economical.  This  method  is  employed  in  the  Kern 
River  district,  and  to  a  lesser  degree  in  other  districts.  The  use  of 
compressed  air  is  also  beneficial  in  special  cases,  where,  owing  to  peculiar 
local  conditions,  the  other  methods  are  found  uneconomical,  as  is  the 
case  in  certain  property  in  the  Salt  Lake  field;  where  compressed  air 
is  used  in  place  of  steam  to  operate  steam  engines. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Gas  and  Petroleum  Yielding  Formations  of  the  Central  Valley  of  California,  by 
W.  L.  Watts,  1894.  Cal.  State  Min.  Bureau  Bull.  No.  3,  95  pp. 

Oil  and  Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  Los  Angeles,  Ventura,  and  Santa  Barbara  Counties, 
by  W.  L.  Watts.  1897.  Cal.  State  Min.  Bureau  Bull.  No  11,  87  pp. 

Oil  and  Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  California,  by  W.  L.  Watts.  1900.  Cal.  State 
Min.  Bureau  Bull.  No.  19,  224  pp. 

Production  and  Use  of  Petroleum  in  California,  by  P.  W.  Prutzman.  1904.  Cal. 
.  State  Min.  Bureau  Bull.  No.  32,  227  pp. 

The  Santa  Clara  Valley,  Puente  Hills,  and  Los  Angeles  Oil  Districts,  Southern  Cali- 
fornia, by  G.  H.  Eldridge  and  Ralph  Arnold.  1907.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  Bull. 
No.  309,  266  pp. 

Geology  and  Oil  Resources  of  the  Summer  land  District,  Santa  Barbara  County.  Cal., 
by  Ralph  Arnold.  1907.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  BuU.  No.  321,  67  pp. 

Geology  and  Oil  Resources  of  the  Santa  Maria  Oil  District,  Santa  Barbara  County, 
Cal.,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and  Robert  Anderson.  1907.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  Bull. 
No.  322,  124  pp. 

Geology  and  Oil  Resources  of  the  Coalinga  District,  California,  by  Ralph  Arnold 
and  Robert  Anderson,  with  a  Report  on  the  Chemical  and  Physical  Properties 
of  the  Oils,  by  I.  C.  Allen.  1910.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  Bull.  No.  398,  354  pp. 


GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY    OF   THE    CALIFORNIA   OIL   FIELDS      467 

Preliminary  Report  on  the  McKittrick-Sunset  Oil  Region,  Kern  and  San  Luis  Obispo 

Counties,  Cal.,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and  H.  R.  Johnson.     1910.     U  S.  Geol.  Survey 

Bull.  No.  406,  217  pp. 
The  Neocene  Deposits  of  Kern  River  and  the  Temblor  Basin,  California,  by  F.  M. 

Anderson.     1911.     Cal.  Acad.  of  Sci.,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  73-148. 

Physical  and  Chemical  Properties  of  the  Petroleum  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  Cali- 
fornia, by  I.  C.  Allen  and  W.  A.  Jacobs,  with  a  chapter  on  Analyses  of  Natural 

Gas  from  the  Southern  California  Oil  Fields,  by  G.  A.  Burrell.     1911.     U.  S. 

Bureau  of  Mines  Bull.  No.  19,  60  pp. 
Preliminary  Report  on  the  Geology  and  Possible  Oil  Resources  of  the  South  End  of 

the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  Cal.,  by  Robert  Anderson.     1912.     U.  S.  Geol.  Survey 

Bull.  No.  471-A,  30  pp. 
Petroleum  in  Southern  California,  by  P.  W.  Prutzman.     1913.     Cal.  State  Min. 

Bureau  Bull.  No.  63,  419  pp. 
The  Cementing  Process  of  Excluding  Water  from  Oil  Wells  as  Practiced  in  California, 

by  Ralph  Arnold  and  V.  R.  Garfias.     1913.     U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Tech. 

Paper  No.  32,  12  pp. 
The  Prevention  of  Waste  of  Oil  and  Gas  from  Flowing  Wells  in  California,  by  Ralph 

Arnold  and  V.  R.  Garfias.     1913.     U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines 'Tech.  Paper  No.  42, 

15  pp. 
Oil  Recovery  as  Practiced  in  California,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and  V.  R.  Garfias.     U.  S. 

Bureau  of  Mines  Tech.  Paper  No.  70.     (In  press.) 


by 
rtta 

.Cal, 
.*.C4. 


468      GEOLOGY   AND   TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE    CALIFORNIA    OIL   FIELDS 


Table  Showing  Yearly  Production  of  the  Cali- 
(Data  largely  from  U.  S. 


Year 

Santa  Maria 

Summer 
land 

Santa 
Clara 

Los 

Angeles 

Puente 

Coalinga 

McKittrick 

1865 
1867 
1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 

1887 

1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 

First  tunn 
First  oil  w 
3,600 
5,200 
6,500 
7,200 

nel  on  Sulph 
ell  near  Vent 

ur  Mt. 

ura. 

7,700 
8,400 
9,600 
13,000 
15,227 
19,858 
40,552 
99,862 
128,636 

li 
II 

2  TJ 

&  § 

142,857 
262,000 
325,000 
377,145 

678,572 

690,333 
303,220 
307,360 
323,600 
385,049 
470,179 
524,469 
461,883 
298,866 
631,135 
792,990 
729,718 
734,684 
563,127 
584,764 
448,295 
617,770 
437,970 
390,101 
447,223 
469,942 
370,000 
597,000 
620,228 
746,780 

Only  3  compan 
operating  at  V 
Pico  &  Puent 

ies  in  State, 
entura, 
e. 

First  well 

First  well 

First  well 

1,500 
16,904 
J  39,792 
130,136 
132,217 
208,370 
153,750 
135,900 
143,552 
127,926 
119,506 
123,871 
81,848 
56,905 
58,103 
71,189 
71,511 
63,238 
65,376 

180,000 
729,695 
900,000 
1,072,000 
1,168,000 
1,032,036 
1,500,000   • 
2,060,000 
1,835,000 
1,680,000 
1,190,000 
2,672,349 
2,586,779 
3,659,088 
3,779,311 
3,766,415 
3,409,000 
2,970,000 
2,670,463 

14,119 
70,140 
154,000 
439,372 
532,000 
780,650 
572,498 
2,138,058 
5,114,958 
10,967,015 
7,991,039 
8,871,723 
10,386,168 
14,795,459 
18,387,750 
18,483,751 
19,911,820 

10,000 
15,000 
80,000 
430,450 
619,296 
658,351 
400,000 
276,171 
531,185 
1,944,671 
2,517,951 
5,077,362 
5,604,653 
5,149,226 
5,881,996 

217,599 
511,550 
753,198 
1,043,463 
1,732,153 
2,329,655 
2,126,772 
2,804,000 
2,333,000 
4,181,000 
3,963,000 
5,641,165 
6,425,000 
6,881,650 

First  well 
99,288 
178,140 
669,500 
2,560,966 
4,692,513 
8,651,172 
7,758,579 
7,565,000 
6,947,000 
6,630,000 
5,909,300 

GEOtOGY   AND    TECHNOLOGY   OF   THE  :C,ALI*FOR^lkJ  Oli: 


fornia  Oil  Fields.     In  Barrels  (42  Gallons') 
Geological  Survey.) 


Midway 

Sunset 

Kern  River 

Lost  Hills 

Other 
Fields 

Total 
Production 

Total 
Value 

Avg. 
Price 
PerBbl. 

Year 

1865 

1867 

3  600 

$5  125 

$1  420 

1870 

5  200 

7  370 

1  420 

1871 

6  500 

9  876 

1  520 

1872 

7  200 

10  920 

1  515 

1873 

7  700 

11  540 

1  500 

1874 

8  400 

12  090 

1  440 

1875 

9  600 

15  410 

1  605 

1876 

13  000 

18  140 

1  395 

1877 

15  227 

22  780 

1  500 

1878 

19  858 

29  672 

1  495 

1879 

40  '552 

68  450 

1  690 

1880 

99,862 

130,678 

1  307 

1881 

i 

128  636 

172  730 

1  340 

1882 

142  857 

207  540 

1  450 

1883 

262  000 

428  600 

1  630 

1884 

325  000 

613  920 

1  885 

1885 

377  145 

642  785 

1  705 

1886 

678,572 

1  357  144 

2  000 

1887 

690,333 

1,380,666 

1  990 

1888 

303,220 

368,048 

1  214 

1889 

307,360 

384,200 

1  250 

1890 

First  well 

323,600 

401,264 

1  240 

1891 

385  049 

561  333 

1  455 

1892 

470,179 

608  692 

1  294 

1893 

705,969 

825  983 

1  170 

1894 

1,208,482 

966  785 

0  800 

1895 

1,252,777 

1,180,793 

0  944 

1896 

1,903,411 

1,713,102 

0  900 

1897 

2  257  207 

2  144  346 

0  950 

1898 

First  well 

2  642  095 

2  615  674 

0  990 

1899 

First  well 

12,500 

800,000 

4  324  484 

4  108  259 

0  950 

1900 

4,235 

188,600 

3,870,170 

8,786,330 

4  973  062 

0  566 

1901 

3,048 

167,558 

8,915,801 

13,984,268 

4,873  617 

0  348 

1902 

5,000 

250,000 

17,164,549 

24,382,472 

7,399,349 

0  303 

1903 

8,045 

276,000 

18,924,000 

29,649,434 

8,265,434 

0  279 

1904 

11,033 

302,701 

13,898,062 

50,563 

33,427,273 

8,201,846 

0  245 

1905 

409  335 

13  580  334 

31  464 

33  098  598 

9  553  430 

00  cq 

IQOfi 

134,174 

567,175 

13,006,136 

77  108 

39  748  375 

14  699  956 

0  370 

1907 

410,393 

1,556,263 

13,648,286 

88,741 

44,854,737 

23,433,502 

0  522 

1908 

2,094,851 

1,712,771 

14,946,784 

70,179 

54,433,010 

30,756,713 

0  564 

1909 

10,436,137 
21,196,475 
23,928,368 

7,157,030 
6,350,298 
6,509,093 

14,698,907 
13,225,713 
12,558,439 

First  well 
1,367,359 

60,405 
20,462 
20,123 

73,010,560  ; 
81,134,391 
86,450,767 

35,749,473 
38,719,080 
39,213,588 

0.490 
0.477 
0.454 

1910 
1911 
1912 

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